Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler announced on Mar. 26 that the application period for three of four categories in a $221 million United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) block grant disaster assistance program will open on Monday, March 30. The funds are intended to help agriculture and forestry producers recover from losses caused by Hurricane Helene.
The program aims to provide financial support for farmers and landowners who experienced significant damage not covered by other USDA programs. Eligible applicants must be located in counties declared a disaster by the President or designated as such by the Secretary of Agriculture due to Hurricane Helene.
There are four categories under this block grant: Farm Infrastructure, Future Economic Loss, Market Loss Assistance for Commodities and Value-Added Products, and Timber Loss Relief Program. Each category requires a separate application per county where an applicant qualifies. The Timber Loss Relief Program is not yet open; its details will be announced in late April through the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS) home page, N.C. Forest Service website, and local County Ranger offices.
Troxler said, “The need remains great for producers who suffered tremendous losses in 2024 and who continue to struggle to rebuild their operations.” He added that this federal program is separate from previous state assistance efforts: “It is important for producers to know that this is a separate program from the state program, so they will need to apply again for assistance in the categories they qualify for. The information needed is similar to what was required for the state program, so we hope the process will be easier and more familiar for producers. In addition, the federal funds will help with timber losses, which was not part of the state program.”
Farmers can access applications at www.ncagr.gov/agdisaster or seek help at local county Cooperative Extension offices if they lack internet access. NCDA&CS also operates a disaster assistance hotline at 1-866-747-9823 during business hours.
“Please be sure to share information on this program with others who may not have access to the internet or who have not heard about it,” Troxler added.
