WASHINGTON -- Some North Carolina leaders say the agriculture sector needs some extra help from Congress following Hurricane Florence.

• The storm caused an estimated $1.1 billion in losses for farmers
• A bill containing more than $1 billion in general storm aid is gaining traction
• RELATED: Farm Bureau VP fears farms hit by Florence will shut down

The storm left many farms underwater, killing crops and livestock. All told, the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services estimates it caused $1.1 billion in losses for farmers.

“We’ve got to have more than just a new Farm Bill. We need to have a disaster package for agriculture as well,” said Rep. David Rouzer, R-7^th District, who spoke at a round table hosted by the president in Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station.

Already, a bill containing more than $1 billion in general storm aid is gaining traction on Capitol Hill. However, North Carolina lawmakers consider that bill little more than a “down payment” and are likely to come back asking for more after the midterms.

Rouzer wants to make sure that when they do, farmers get some attention.

In an interview, Rouzer could not say exactly what he would like to see in any farm aid legislation, but did suggest funding to clean out rivers and tributaries plus money for livestock and crop producers.

The farmers are “concerned about the future, they’re concerned about what the marketplace is going to look like for the crops that are salvageable,” he said.

Hurricane Florence came at what Larry Wooten, the president of the North Carolina Farm Bureau, described as a difficult time for Tar Heel state farmers. Over the past few years, he says, they have dealt with low prices, tariffs from the mounting trade war, and the impact of Hurricane Matthew.

INTERVIEW: Larry Wooten and Andy Curliss on farmers and tariffs

After Florence, he said crop insurance alone will not cut it.

“Our farmers and agriculture in North Carolina is reeling right now. Reeling. And we’re going to need to some help,” Wooten said.

Additional funding bills for North Carolina’s storm recovery are no guarantee on Capitol Hill. Any potential action is still more than a month away, when Congress returns after the November election.