Droughts in 2023 killed more than 12 million pine trees in Mississippi last year. A report from the United States Department of Agriculture and the Mississippi Forestry Commission found that at least 12.5 million trees died in the state after droughts last year. Mississippi experienced heavy droughts last year starting in June that were so bad that NASA could see the Mississippi River shrinking from space in September. During the droughts, experts say that pine beetles swept across the state taking out entire patches of decades-old pine trees. "We are in a position where we are going to have to do something," Vozzo told The Clarion Ledger.

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Persons: That's, Sen, Cindy Hyde, Smith, Pete Vozzo, Vozzo, McCain, Madison, De'Keither Stamps, Tate Reeves, Stamps Organizations: Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Mississippi Forestry Commission, Business, NASA, Republican, Smith, Property, Clarion, McCain Tree Service, Public Service, De'Keither, Gov Locations: Mississippi, Hyde, Madison, Jackson, Vicksburg