WNC Farmers โFace Mounting Strain as Goverment Shutdown Haltsโ Aid, Insurance
HENDERSON COUNTY, โขN.C. – Westernโ North Carolina farmers already struggling to recover from aโ difficult growing season are facing renewed hardship as the ongoing government shutdown halts โcritical disaster aid and insurance application processes. Many are awaiting funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) following damage from Hurricane Helene and earlier hailstorms, but with theโค USDA closed, those payments โขare on hold.
Terry kelley,Director of the Henderson county Cooperative Extension,explained the immediate impact: “There’s still a โขlot of disaster payments that need to be paid out and all of that’s put on hold right now.” Farmersโข typically submit receipts to the USDA for reimbursementโ after repairing storm damage, โbut are currently unable to do so, nor are they receiving previously submitted funds.
“They’ve still got bills to pay and โso anytime these payments โare delayed,โข basically we are just โputting them in a tougher position,” Kelley said.
The shutdown also โฃthreatens farmers’ accessโฃ toโ vitalโ crop insurance. Many rely on โขthe โขNoninsured Crop Disaster Assistance โขProgram (NAP) for โcoverage of less common crops like peppers and cucumbers. The deadline to apply for next year’s insurance โฃcoverage is Thursday, November 20, but applications are unfeasible to process while the government is shut down. Missing the deadline couldโค leave farmers uninsured forโฃ an entire year.
“So, folks want to โgetโ those insurances so that if we do have another disaster, they can be eligible โfor payments,” Kelley stated.
Kelley emphasized the โcompounding effect of โthese delays, saying, “It’s just adding โsaltโข to the wounds, it’s compounding the problems, and we just frankly don’t need that right now.” โLocal crops have โalready suffered notable losses this year due to adverse weather conditions. Farmers fear the shutdown โฃcouldโค have lastingโ financial repercussions well โinto the next growing season.