Disaster Information for Farms and Agribusinesses

Disasters. You can't predict when a tornado, hurricane, hazmat or other emergency will strike your business. But you can be prepared and have a plan in case something does happen. Farms, ranches, food warehouses, pesticide dealers and more all have different needs, but the planning basics are the same. Click around. Use the preparedness tools, and in case of a disaster, come back and find the links for assistance.

 

NCDACS Disaster Hotline Image 1-866-645-9403

 

Recent Updates:

Hurricane/Tropical Storm Helene: 

(Updated 10/2/2024) 

Livestock supply distribution sites open

Sites will be open beginning Thursday, Oct. 3. 
Hours: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

  1. Avery County Warehouse
    6880 Linville Falls Highway
    Newland, NC 28657
  2. Macon County Fairgrounds
    1436 Georgia Road
    Franklin, NC 28734
  3. McDowell County Agriculture Center
    188 Ag Services Drive
    Marion, NC 28752

Sites are currently accepting:
Corn Silage
Grain mix or pellets for cattle
Round and square hay bales
Baleage/Haylage
Mineral Supplements
Fence Supplies
Feed tubs/troughs
Water troughs
Basic animal supplies
 

IRS granting dyed diesel penalty relief as a result of Hurricane Helene

WASHINGTON — In response to disruptions resulting from Hurricane Helene, the Internal Revenue Service will not impose a penalty when dyed diesel fuel with a sulfur content that does not exceed 15 parts-per-million is sold for use or used on the highway throughout Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina and in the following counties in Florida, Tennessee and Virginia:

Florida: Alachua, Bay, Bradford, Calhoun, Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, Columbia, Dixie, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Hernando, Hillsborough, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Monroe, Okaloosa, Pasco, Pinellas, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Wakulla, Walton and Washington counties.

Tennessee: Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins, Johnson, Unicoi and Washington counties.

Virginia: City of Galax, Grayson, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise and Wythe counties.

This relief is retroactive to Sept. 26, 2024, and will remain in effect through Oct. 15, 2024.

This penalty relief is available to any person that sells or uses dyed diesel fuel for highway use. In the case of the operator of the vehicle in which the dyed diesel fuel is used, the relief is available only if the operator or the person selling such fuel pays the tax of 24.4 cents per gallon that is normally applied to diesel fuel for highway use.

The IRS will not impose penalties for failure to make semimonthly deposits of tax for dyed diesel fuel sold for use or used in diesel powered vehicles on the highway in these areas during the relief period. IRS Publication 510, Excise Taxes, has information on the proper method for reporting and paying the tax.

Ordinarily, dyed diesel fuel is not taxed, because it is sold for uses exempt from excise tax, such as to farmers for farming purposes, for home heating use and to local governments.

The IRS is closely monitoring the situation and will provide additional relief as needed.

 

(Updated 10/1/24)  Animal shelters and boarding facilities: Around 200 shelters and boarding kennels are licensed by the NCDA&CS Animal Welfare Section in the counties impacted by Hurricane Helene. Our staff is currently in contact with 95 percent of them and continuously monitor their needs. All registered shelters in impacted area have been in contact with the Animal Welfare Section staff. 

The ASPCA and BISSELL Pet Foundation are working to relocate adoptable animals to other rescues and shelters in state and out of state.  This relocation will allow shelters to have room for the expected influx of strays and owned pets that will need a place to stay.  Additionally, county emergency management is utilizing CAMETs (Companion Animal Mobile Equipment Shelter) at shelters to help those that have been forced to leave their homes house pets. 

Monetary donations can be given through ASPCA and BISSELL Pet Foundation. The ASPCA is currently looking for space for a distribution center that will accept donations. They are looking for a spot that is located near the impacted area.  Information on how to donate supplies for this facility to help pets in need in Western North Carolina will be coming in a few days.

BISSELL Pet Foundation - https://www.bissellpetfoundation.org/
ASPCA - https://www.aspca.org/
 

companion animals being loaded on airplane for transport to other shelters

All of these pets are from Asheville Humane Society. They were in the shelter and available for adoption prior to the storm. BISSELL Pet Foundation provided air transport to get them to Winston-Salem where they went to Forsyth Humane Society, SPCA of Wake County, Humane Society of Charlotte, and a few other shelters in North Carolina.

 

(Update 9/29/24) North Carolina’s agriculture community is strong and resilient and always willing to step up for others in need. Many people are asking about getting supplies to our neighbors out West and we know the need will be great. A number of organizations are on the ground in these hard hit communities working already. Working through these organizations is the best way right now for citizens to have an immediate impact.

Western NC has seen major damage including significant damage to roads, cell towers and electrical systems making the area unsafe. Work is focused on rescuing those trapped, restoring communication systems and power.

Though well intended, emergency responders have asked that citizens not come to Western N.C. to leave roads clear for emergency responders. 

If you would like to assist, please consider making a donation or signing up to volunteer through the organizations set up to assist. Monetary donations can stretch farther through groups that can purchase in bulk and have transportation logistics in place. 

https://baptistsonmission.org/Mission-Projects/By-Mission-Type/Disaster-Relief/Hurricane-Helene

https://www.redcross.org/local/north-carolina.html

https://pay.payitgov.com/ncdonations

We will update with more options as disaster relief efforts continue. 

We can all continue to pray for those who have been directly impacted and for those who are responding.

NCDA&CS to activate hotline Saturday to help farmers impacted by Tropical Storm Helene
The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services will activate its hotline Saturday, Sept. 28, to connect farmers with resources that can assist with damage and other agricultural emergencies related to the storm. The toll-free number is 1-866-645-9403. A live operator will be available on the hotline between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

 

 

 

Waivers and Forms

Tab/Accordion Items

The Structural Pest Control and Pesticides Division is extending the date for private recertification for pesticides license until Dec. 20 for all counties. These licenses typically expire on Sept. 30. This extension is due to the devasting impact of Hurricane Helene.  More information of pesticide licensing and certification - https://www.ncagr.gov/divisions/structural-pest-control-and-pesticides/pesticide/licensing-and-certification

Based on field observations, conversations with agronomists and technical specialists, and in consideration of past and predicted weather conditions, the NCDA&CS is supportive of a blanket extension for swine effluent application on bermudagrass hayfields to the end date of October 151\ 2024. This is two weeks longer than the normal application which ends September 30, 2024.

Granting extensions on a case-by-case basis by Regional Agronomists is normally done, but it is anticipated that the need over the next few weeks will be greater than staff can accommodate. This type of an extension is not unprecedented. In 2015, 2016, and 2018, blanket extensions were granted after extended periods of wet weather and tropical systems.

More at this link - /blanket-extension-lagoon-pumping-bermuda/open
 

Due to the extensive flooding and power outages being experienced as a result of Hurricane Helene, some LP-Gas companies are not able to provide service to their customers for a variety of reasons, including damaged LP-Gas company equipment, lack of phone service to the company and access to the customer areas.

As these customers still need LP-Gas for emergency generators and other purposes, the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, is exercising enforcement discretion with respect to General Statute 119-58 (b) to the extent that a LP-Gas supplier may make a delivery to a tank owned by another LP-Gas company or a customer owned tank that may have a contract with another LP-Gas company, during this situation. This is to allow for the continued service at the customer's location. This enforcement discretion is only applicable to the following counties: Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, Yancey, and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
 

/helene-propane-waiver/open

Disaster Hay and Livestock Resources Assistance Information

The Disaster Hay and Livestock Resources Assistance Portal is a resource to connect farmers who have been impacted by Hurricane Helene with donated resources.  No sales or transactions are made on this website. The requests and offers are collected and sent to NCSU Cooperative Extension where they are matched and coordinated by Extension personnel.

NCDA&CS assumes no liability for those farmers utilizing this service and recommends pursuing multiple avenues to secure feed  and resources following a disaster.  Various disaster programs may be available in the future to provide additional assistance, and be found Here.

Disaster Hay and Livestock Assistance Portal

Helpful Links