The damage caused by Hurricane Sandy that pummeled the east coast of the United States this week has been estimated at $20 billion, according to a recent report published at http://thehill.com.

Massive flooding, 2-ft.-deep snowstorms, gale-force winds, fires and significant beach erosion are among the catastrophic events that have engulfed coastal areas of states from the Carolinas to New York.

For pork producers, the storm turned out to be virtually a non-event, says Deborah Johnson of the North Carolina Pork Council.

“The hurricane brought problems for both ends of our state, the Outer Banks with storm surge and the mountains with snow. There was some wind where I live in Sampson County, but little rain,” she reports.

Producers in Virginia and the surrounding area dodged a bullet, according to John H. Parker of the Virginia Pork Producers Association.

He reports the power stayed on, there was no great water damage and no trees down other than along the extreme coastal areas of northern Virginia next to Washington, DC.

Parker says he only heard of one producer in Pennsylvania who even lost power.

“We only have 1-2 producers on Delmarva where the storm was stronger. Our prayers are with the people in the Northeast,” he stresses.