The USDA has issued an announcement of aid to farmers and producers who are reeling in the sake of Hurricane Helene and bracing for the possibility of more bad weather.
At its Farmers.gov site, https://www.farmers.gov/blog/impacted-by-hurricane-helene-usda-is-here-help?utm_campaign=hurricanehelene&utm_content=usdahelp&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery, the federal government listed steps for farmers to take in getting info to the agency.
The agency advises producers to document and report losses, saying, “Document damages and losses your operation has sustained as best you can, including gathering farm records, herd inventory, receipts, and pictures of damages or losses.
“We advise livestock producers to document livestock numbers by taking time and date-stamped video or pictures of injury or loss, to the extent possible.
“We recognize these are extremely extenuating and stressful circumstances, and there may be instances where documentation is lost, destroyed, or unattainable. Regardless, please contact us and we will do whatever we can to help you access the assistance you need.”
It goes on to say, “Report crop, livestock, and farm infrastructure losses to USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) at your local USDA Service Center.
“If you have Federal Crop Insurance, contact your crop insurance agent as soon as crop or livestock losses are apparent. USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) has authorized crop insurance companies to provide flexibility on reporting requirements for those who are unable to report losses due to the disaster. See RMA’s Hurricanes Helene and Debby webpage.
Online resources include:
- Hurricane webpage with more information for hurricane-impacted producers.
- Disaster Assistance at a Glance Brochure with an overview of all disaster assistance programs.
- Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool to help with available disaster assistance.
- Farm Loan Assistance Tool to help determine program or loan options.
- FarmRaise educational hub to help with program decisions.
Photo credit, Adobe Stock: 2024 Hurricane Helene, Virginia
