USDA Awards $221 Million for NC Farm Recovery

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced $221.2 million in disaster assistance for North Carolina farmers recovering from Hurricane Helene. The funding will be administered through a block grant agreement signed by Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Stephen Alexander Vaden and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS).

The agreement provides recovery aid for eligible infrastructure and timber losses, as well as market and future revenue losses. Funding comes from the $30 billion disaster relief effort authorized by the American Relief Act of 2025. USDA is coordinating with 14 states, including North Carolina, to address recovery needs through state-administered block grants.

“America’s farmers and ranchers across the Southeast and in North Carolina have been hit hard and suffered significant economic losses during 2024,” said Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins. “President Trump has our farmers' backs, and we are working quickly to get these much-needed relief funds to those who need to rebuild.”

Vaden emphasized the department’s focus on fast implementation. “Today’s announcement is about delivering on our promise to stand shoulder to shoulder with America’s farmers in times of need,” he said. “By signing this block grant with North Carolina, USDA is ensuring that producers have the resources to rebuild stronger after Hurricane Helene and keep producing the food and fuel our nation depends on.”

North Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler welcomed the support. “This $221.2 million federal disaster assistance block grant for agricultural damage due to Hurricane Helene is welcomed news to North Carolina farmers in western North Carolina who have been holding on in the aftermath of massive ag losses in 2024,” he said. “We all have an interest in the success of agriculture because farmers produce the food and fiber we all depend on.”

The block grant covers qualifying losses not addressed by other USDA disaster programs. Additional program details will be made available through NCDA&CS.

USDA noted that this announcement builds on earlier disaster relief efforts. In July, Secretary Rollins announced assistance for producers in Virginia and Florida. The agency has also distributed more than $1 billion through the Emergency Livestock Relief Program and over $8 billion in direct payments through the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program.