USDA Urges NC Farmers to Prepare for Hurricane Dorian

BY Kevin Frey Washington, D.C.

PUBLISHED 7:10 PM ET Sep. 04, 2019 PUBLISHED 7:10 PM EDT Sep. 04, 2019

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- As Hurricane Dorian works its way up the Atlantic coast, agriculture leaders in the nation’s capital are urging Tar Heel State farmers to stay alert and prepare.

Natural disasters are nothing new for North Carolina
Between recent storms and the ongoing international trade fight, many farmers are struggling
Officials say many farmers will likely lean on insurance in the event Dorian damages crops

“You may think that you’ve heard yesterday that everything’s fine. And today, it may not be,” said Bill Northey, an under secretary with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

After the storm passes, Northey says many farmers will likely lean on insurance in the event Dorian damages crops.

The USDA, he says, also offers programs that could help farmers impacted the storm. Northey encourages farmers to document all hurricane-related damage and visit their local USDA office.

The USDA also has an online tool to help farmers determine what sort of assistance they may qualify for.

Between damage from past natural disasters and the ongoing trade fight, NC farmers have had a rough few years.

As NC farmers now stare down #Dorian, I asked USDA Under Sec. Bill Northey what he says to those farmers who may question how long they can hold on #ncpol pic.twitter.com/tTDhlZVzlU
— Kevin Frey (@KevinFreyTV) September 4, 2019

Natural disasters are nothing new for North Carolina. Hurricane Florence in 2018 is estimated to have caused more than $1 billion in losses for farmers in the state.

Between recent storms and the ongoing international trade fight, many farmers are struggling.

Asked about farmers who may question how much longer they can hold on in this environment - especially if Dorian causes damage - Northey says he is “hopeful” that most farmers will remain in the industry.

“Not all days are like the bad days. There’s some great days on a farming operation, as well,” he said. ”When they are able to get kind of past these, and hopefully some of our programs help get people on their feet, we’re sure hopeful that most folks will decide they’re able to financially and emotionally continue to operate these businesses.”

Earlier this year, Congress approved a disaster aid package that includes funding aimed at helping farmers impacted by Hurricane Florence and other recent natural disasters.

Northey says the USDA will likely announce details on how farmers can sign up for that assistance in coming weeks.