Hurricane Helene Will Impact North Carolina Farms for Years

When Hurricane Helene swept across western North Carolina, it left a path of destruction like we’ve never seen. Some areas received more than 26 inches of rain in a 24-hour period and flooding decimated entire towns across a 27-county area. 

As I drove across the state the day after the storm, signs along the highway alerted drivers that all roads to western North Carolina were closed. That was one of the many ways my state has been affected by Hurricane Helene.

Parts of western North Carolina are still without power, internet, or water. My social media feed continues to be filled with images and recaps of the storm and its aftermath. At first, there were pleas for information on missing relatives (who have since been located). A friend shared how he and his girlfriend escaped through the second-story window of their flooding apartment building. 

Farms Washed Away

Western North Carolina is extremely diversified. Many small farms call this part of the state home. From dairy and beef cattle to fruit and vegetable crops; to fiber, forestry, and craft breweries, agriculture supports the local economy in many ways. 

Farms have been struggling the last few years. Costs of everything it takes to grow crops and raise livestock have increased, while the price farmers get for their crop has dropped. Helene added insult to injury.

It’s harvest season. Many farms are open for agritourism. Insurance won’t replace the total losses and it will take years for some to recover. Apple trees, for example, don’t start producing for three years. Hay that was meant to feed cattle during the winter may mean farmers are forced to sell cattle. 

Water washed away orchards, fences, cattle, sheep, and crops. I watched video of hay bales on a dairy farm floating down a river that wasn’t there before the storm. A friend shared video of what used to be an apple orchard, the trees floating away in the water. 

Another farm had their strawberry transplants, which would provide income next spring, washed away. Still another lost its collard transplants and was looking for 3,000 to replace the lost crop, and income. Dairy cows were moved from a flooded farm and milked in a parlor that had been out of business for seven years.

Almost 96% of my state’s Christmas trees are grown in Western North Carolina. In October many were cutting, baling, and shipping wholesale tree orders across the country. The infrastructure losses in an area with many back roads and bridges may pose a challenge to getting trees to market this year. It’s too soon to know. 

Many farms lost valuable topsoil, which was replaced by sand, rocks, and storm debris. The path of many streams and rivers has changed, and homes that used to be along these bodies of water are now underneath them. Land that had belonged to a family for generations is gone. 

Help Coming In

As soon as the storm subsided, neighbors started helping neighbors. Soon, the entire country became western North Carolina’s neighbor. 

One farmer posted on social media that his farmer friend in the west needed a generator and gas. Less than an hour later, one was on the way. Trucks from across the country pulled into donation centers filled with hay, livestock feed, fencing materials, and more. Everywhere I look, groups continue to take donations for items needed by people affected, many who lost everything.

MANNA Food Bank, which has served 16 counties in western North Carolina for 40 years, lost its facility in the flood. It is using space at the Western North Carolina Farmers Market to continue its mission. Donations have filled a warehouse the food bank is using.

One pressure washing company offered to fill water tanks for livestock farmers to get water to their animals. Farmers in the eastern part of our state are mobilizing to send donations for people and livestock west. The Red Cross, Baptists on Mission, and other aid groups descended on affected areas. I’ve seen numerous aid trucks and linemen headed into the fray.    

Recovery won’t just be about roads, buildings and fields. Many people are suffering emotionally. One friend shared about someone from her hometown in the mountains breaking down in tears when it started raining days after Helene. Farmers can call the farmer stress hotline at 919-542-1396 (press 1). Mental health will be an important step in recovery.

In addition to donating to relief efforts, one way everyone can support agriculture is to advocate for financial support for farmers as they recover. Legislators will be considering relief options, and to preserve the local food scene of western North Carolina these farmers will benefit from long-term support.

It’s still too early to know all the needs. What is clear is that this will not be a quick fix. In Helene’s aftermath, it’s not just the citizens of the area, but across the nation who are Western North Carolina Strong.