Farmers in Western North Carolina are still hurting after Hurricane Helene. Between debris cleanup and lost crops, small farms throughout western North Carolina are on the hook for an average of $70,000, according to a study published this month.
Most farmers had damage to their land and equipment – and on top of that, sales are down across the board after a slow tourism season.
A new study from the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project focused on the economic impacts of the storm on small farms.
The organization is focused on helping small local farms thrive, link farmers to markets and supporters, and build healthy communities through connections to local food, according to their website.
The study focused on Appalachian Grown-certified farms — a group of nearly 900 small-scale, family-owned farms growing food for local market outlets.
These farms are economic drivers, especially in rural communities, and shape southern Appalachia culture. Though less than 10% of the 9,500 farms in Western North Carolina, these small farms contribute more than $50 million to the local economy in local food sales and jobs, according to the study.
“[They] preserve the environment and scenic landscape, contribute to healthy communities, and offer entry points for community members to learn about agriculture and actively participate in shaping the food system to align with their values,” the study points out.
As small businesses, these farmers depend on agritourism as well as tourists and locals who buy their food at farmer’s markets.
“Support for small farms after disasters like Helene is crucial, especially given the limitations of the farm safety net,” said Amy Marion, Associate Director of the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project.
Many struggle to qualify for federal aid specific to farming – which has yet to make its way to Western North Carolina. Funding from the state is available – and the application deadline for a Helene-specific recovery program was just extended – but farmers don’t know when they will see that money. Many have had to take out loans or reach into their savings to start farming for the Spring season.
BPR’s Gerard Albert III spoke with Sarah Hart, communications and engagement director at the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project. Below is an excerpt from their conversation, edited for length and clarity.
Let's start with the big takeaways from the study. What did the study find?
Most of the farms sustained some damage – whether that was wind damage, flood damage – but not more than 25% of their operations. I think a big takeaway is the economic impact of those market closures, that even farms that had no damage are significantly economically impacted for the year and for the coming year, because tourism was stalled. Nobody could get anywhere. You couldn't tell people where you were going to be to sell your products. Restaurants are closing and economic hardship throughout our communities means that people might be shopping less at farmer's markets.
Some farmers lost a lot of heavy machinery and equipment. Some farmers lost huge chunks of land. Can you describe some of this damage from what you're hearing?
We had farms that experienced landslides. Flooding was a huge issue for many farms, especially those that are in those more low-lying river valleys, which is the best farmland. But even things like loss of electricity for farmers that had walk-in coolers and then lost the product that was stored there that they would have sold.
I think what we're hearing from farmers is that they're tired. Farmers are resilient and they've dealt with weather events. Farms often operate very close to the bottom line. So there's a feeling of ‘will the next thing that happens be the thing that I can't get through?’
What should locals know about the damage to these small farms and how it might affect them?
Everything from Helene impacts the web of sustainability of our communities, and farms are an important piece of that. And so whether you're buying local or whether you're not, these are businesses that help to make up our communities. They’re businesses that can make our communities more sustainable and stronger and more able to get through things like Helene.
