Millions of dollars in aid are on the way to North Carolina as producers are still recovering from devastating hurricanes from a year ago. Deputy USDA Secretary Stephen Vaden announced a handful of farmers and ranchers in the Tar Heel State.
USDA is freeing up $221 million in the form of block grants for the state. Vaden signed the order next to North Carolina Ag Commissioner Steve Troxler.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Stephen Alexander Vaden visited North Carolina today, where he met with agricultural leaders and producers to announce expanded U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) support to aid recovery from Hurricane Helene.
During his visit, Deputy Secretary Vaden finalized a block grant agreement with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS) to deliver relief funding to eligible farmers across the state. This follows U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins’ July announcement of additional disaster assistance for producers in Virginia and Florida.
Under the new agreement, NCDA&CS will receive $221.2 million to manage a recovery program covering eligible infrastructure and timber losses, as well as market losses and future revenue impacts. The funding comes from the $30 billion disaster relief package authorized by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. USDA is partnering with 14 states, including North Carolina, to design and administer block grants tailored to meet each state’s unique recovery needs.
Read the full press release from USDA, which includes links for signing up for the program, HERE.
