Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler announced on Mar. 26 that the application period for $221 million in United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) block grant disaster assistance will open Monday, March 30. The program is designed to help agriculture and forestry producers who suffered losses from Hurricane Helene.
The funding aims to support recovery efforts for those impacted by the hurricane, especially farmers and landowners whose losses were not covered by other USDA programs. Eligible applicants are 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. Applications for three of these categories will open March 30, while details about the Timber Loss Relief Program will be released in late April. The North Carolina Forest Service will administer this portion once available.
According to Troxler, “The need remains great for producers who suffered tremendous losses in 2024 and who continue to struggle to rebuild their operations.” He also said, “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.”
Applications can be accessed at www.ncagr.gov/agdisaster. Local county Cooperative Extension offices are available to assist those without internet access. The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has set up a disaster assistance hotline at 1-866-747-9823 operating Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., as well as an email contact at agdisaster@ncagr.gov.
Troxler said, “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.” Further details can be found on www.ncagr.gov/agdisaster.
