USDA Farm Service Agency Emergency Designation in Several NC Counties

11/2/2021

On October 19, 2021, Agriculture Secretary Thomas J. Vilsack declared a natural disaster in the State of North Carolina based on losses caused by excessive rain, flooding, and Tropical Storm Fred that occurred August 15, 2021 to August 17, 2021. As a result of this natural disaster, 12 North Carolina counties were declared eligible for Federal disaster assistance, including Farm Service Agency (FSA) emergency (EM) loans for eligible family farmers.

Those primary disaster counties are:

Buncombe
Clay
Henderson
McDowell
Madison
Transylvania
Cherokee
Haywood
Jackson
Macon
Mitchell
Yancey

In addition to those 12 primary disaster counties, 6 additional North Carolina counties are named as contiguous counties where eligible family farmers may qualify for FSA EM loan assistance, in accordance with Section 321(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act.

Those counties are:

Avery
Burke
Graham
Polk
Rutherford
Swain

Farm Loan Officer Kathy Jett said that effective October 19, 2021, farmers in Cherokee, Clay, and Graham counties may apply for EM loans for physical and/or production losses. June 20, 2022 is the deadline for filing an application. The local office is located in Murphy, NC, and may be contacted by phone, at (828) 837-2721 ext. 2, Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM. Jett said that any farmer who suffered a physical and/or production loss should contact her office for additional information.

The Cherokee/Clay/Graham County Service Center is currently closed to the public. Our staff continue to work with agricultural producers via phone, email, and other digital tools. Please contact us at (828) 837-2721, ext. 2, to make a phone appointment.