Rather than relocating animals every disaster, wouldn’t prevention be cheaper and a lot more effective? Flooding, for example, is only a surprise as to when it occurs: we have tons of data as to where they will and won’t occur, and at what height to expect floodwaters. Even on floodplain properties there are methods to combat disasters: levees, raised platforms, stilts, etc.
As many hundred-year floodplains are turning into ten-year floodplains thanks to climate change, investing in anti-flood improvements where possible (and relocating the entire operation where not) just seems like an inevitable move. We’re seeing this in the home insurance market: highly disaster-prone locations can’t be insured anymore, making them financial liabilities rather than assets. The biggest favor the government can do the farms (and taxpayers) is to encourage and subsidize anti-disaster improvements, while phasing out payouts to farms that stay in high-risk conditions.
Rather than relocating animals every disaster, wouldn’t prevention be cheaper and a lot more effective? Flooding, for example, is only a surprise as to when it occurs: we have tons of data as to where they will and won’t occur, and at what height to expect floodwaters. Even on floodplain properties there are methods to combat disasters: levees, raised platforms, stilts, etc.
As many hundred-year floodplains are turning into ten-year floodplains thanks to climate change, investing in anti-flood improvements where possible (and relocating the entire operation where not) just seems like an inevitable move. We’re seeing this in the home insurance market: highly disaster-prone locations can’t be insured anymore, making them financial liabilities rather than assets. The biggest favor the government can do the farms (and taxpayers) is to encourage and subsidize anti-disaster improvements, while phasing out payouts to farms that stay in high-risk conditions.