USDA Designates Four North Carolina Counties as Primary Natural Disaster Areas

Contact: FPAC.BC.Press@usda.gov

Emergency Support to Producers in Surrounding Counties/Border State Also Available

WASHINGTON, March 8, 2021 — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack designated four North Carolina counties as primary natural disaster areas. Producers who suffered losses due to recent disasters may be eligible for United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) emergency loans.

This natural disaster designation allows FSA to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters. Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation or the refinance of certain debts.

Excessive Rain – Jan. 1 – Dec. 31, 2020

Producers in Carteret, Craven and Pamlico counties who suffered losses due to excessive rain that occurred Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2020, may be eligible for emergency loans.

Producers in the contiguous North Carolina counties of Beaufort, Hyde, Jones, Lenoir, Onslow and Pitt are also eligible to apply for emergency loans.

Excessive Rain – Aug. 3 – Nov. 30, 2020

Producers in Northampton County who suffered losses due to excessive rain that occurred Aug. 3 through Nov. 30, 2020, may be eligible for emergency loans.

Producers in the contiguous counties listed below are also eligible to apply for emergency loans:

• North Carolina: Bertie, Halifax, Hertford and Warren
• Virginia: Brunswick, Greensville and Southampton

The deadline to apply for these emergency loans is Nov. 1, 2021.

FSA will review the loans based on the extent of losses, security available and repayment ability.

FSA has a variety of additional programs to help farmers recover from the impacts of this disaster. FSA programs that do not require a disaster declaration include: Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program; Emergency Conservation Program; Livestock Forage Disaster Program; Livestock Indemnity Program; Operating and Farm Ownership Loans; and the Tree Assistance Program.

Farmers may contact their local USDA service center for further information on eligibility requirements and application procedures for these and other programs. Additional information is also available online at farmers.gov/recover.