Hurricane Helene devastated much of the Southeast. The SESE headquarters escaped unscathed, but we are saddened by the loss of lives and damage to family farms. We’ve put together some resources designed to help farmers and ranchers as we move toward recovery.
One of the most important things you need to do is document the damage. Gather evidence before starting any cleaning. If possible, document the damage with photos, videos, and third-party verification (non-family if possible). This information can help you get the right help from various services.
Keep notes on your damages, costs, and repairs. Track:
- Damage
- Necessary corrections
- Costs associated with maintenance
- Receipts for anything related to repairs
If possible, postpone repairs until you receive approval from the Farm Service Agency (FSA). Write down any urgent repairs you need to make, such as fixing livestock fences.
Guard Livestock Carefully
Any livestock exposed to floodwaters should be carefully monitored in the coming weeks, even if they appear to be fine at the moment. Bacteria in flood water can cause skin conditions and infections.
USDA resources
The USDA has many programs designed to help farmers recover from storm damage. Here are some to look at:
Non-certified Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP)
NAP provides financial assistance when natural disasters cause low yields, crop losses, or uninsured crop failure.
~Apply for NAP~
Tree Assistance Program (TAP)
TAP assists fruit growers and nursery growers in replanting or rehabilitating suitable trees, shrubs, and vines damaged by natural disasters.
~Apply for TAP~
Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farmed Fish (ELAP)
ELAP provides financial assistance to eligible farmers who have lost livestock, honey bees, or farmed fish during certain natural disasters.
~Apply for ELAP~
Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP)
LIP provides assistance to farmers who have lost livestock due to natural disasters. LIP payments are equal to 75 percent of the fair market value of livestock.
~Apply for LIP~
Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
EQIP is a conservation program that provides financial and technical assistance to farmers, ranchers, and forest owners to integrate conservation into the workplace. It can be used for storm restoration in a number of ways, including clearing obstacles, clearing and stabbing, land smoothing, repairing access roads, and fence maintenance for designated pastures and protecting sensitive areas.
~Use EQIP~
Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP)
The EFRP is designed to help landowners restore forest health damaged by natural disasters.
~Apply for EFRP~
Apply for FEMA
FEMA does not target farmers, but it can help anyone, including farmers, with serious problems such as displacement, temporary housing, basic home repair costs, loss of personal property, or other needs caused by a disaster.
There are several ways to apply: Go online to DisasterAssistance.gov, use the FEMA App, or call 800-621-3362 from 7 am to 11 pm ET daily. The hotline is open every day, and help is available in many languages. If you use a relay service, such as Video Relay Service (VRS), closed captioning, or another service, give FEMA your number for that service.
To view an accessible video on how to apply, visit Three Ways to Apply for FEMA Disaster Assistance – YouTube.
Help from the Carolinas
Carolina Farm Stewardship Association
The Carolina Farm Stewardship Association has put together a handy list of resources that can help farmers in the Carolinas and beyond move forward in recovery. Be sure to check back as they update their list.
~Check out CFSA Resources~
Meade Tractor
See the full description under the Virginia heading to apply for mechanical assistance.
Florida Farm Relief
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) offers low-interest or no-interest loans to agricultural and aquaculture producers for damage caused by natural disasters.
They are now accepting applications from producers who experienced damage from Hurricane Helene or Hurricane Debby.
~Apply for a Refinance Loan~
Georgia Farm Relief
Georgia Department of Agriculture
Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper sent a letter asking the Georgia congressional delegation to provide immediate assistance to farmers. In the letter, he asks for federal aid through a Block Grant to the State of Georgia rather than existing aid programs. Hopefully, we hear more soon.
~Georgia Department of Agriculture~
Tennessee Farm Relief
The University of Tennessee Extension has compiled a list of resources to help farmers and individuals in Tennessee affected by Hurricane Helene. They also encourage all farmers to contact their regional agency.
~Flood Resources~
Virginia Farm Aid
Smyth County Virginia Cooperative Extension
Extension encourages Smyth County farmers to connect with them on Facebook and report losses, including hay, fences, barns, animals, etc. They ask that you enter your name, address, description of loss, estimated value, and whether you had insurance.
121 Bagley Circle, Suite 434, Marion, VA 24354 – 276-783-5175
~Find them on Facebook~
Meade Tractor
Meade Tractor has initiated a Disaster Response Plan for farmers affected by flooding in Asheville, NC, Tri-Cities, TN, and Southwest Virginia. The program provides access to tractors, loaders and other essential equipment at no charge to affected farmers and on-site training from Meade Tractor’s skilled team to ensure the equipment is operating safely and efficiently.
~Apply for help~
This information is collected from other state, federal, and federal websites. SESE does not operate or support these programs. All their decisions are their own. It hopes to collect useful resources for people. We will update this list as we receive more information in the coming weeks.
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