Disasters are always costly. Frequently, people think of highly popularized large-scale disasters seen on television as the costliest disasters. However, the costs associated with "everyday" disasters are by far the greatest disaster-related costs every year in the U.S.

When disasters strike agricultural communities, we should remember that not only are farms affected, but also small businesses, such as feed and accessory suppliers, and veterinary practices. These small, local businesses are particularly vulnerable to disasters, because the cost of disaster mitigation, insurance, and recovery is relatively higher than for large national chains. Small businesses have, on average, fewer resources to pay for recovery from disasters.

The impact of disasters on small businesses can be very damaging and occur relatively commonly. For example, every day in the U.S. over 200 fires destroy businesses, including agricultural businesses.