RALEIGH, N.C. — Farmers in Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Rutherford and Transylvania counties have until Nov. 20 to sign up for the NCDA&CS Agricultural Disaster Program.

The program will directly assist farmers who suffered losses to commodities, livestock, poultry and aquaculture because of excessive rain and flooding that occurred between May 15, 2018, and Dec. 31, 2018. The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services will administer the program.

“It is important for farmers who suffered losses during that time period in 2018 to act quickly and sign up for this program. There will be no extensions to this deadline,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler.

Producers in these five counties who experienced a verifiable crop loss as a result of excessive rain and flooding that occurred during the time period, will need to go to their local United States Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency office to file the necessary paperwork for FSA Form 578. This is a required document in the application process for producers who experienced loss with apples, corn for grain, grass, tomatoes or other field crops.

Producers without a 2018 FSA Form 578 on file can request a manual form at their local USDA Service Center/FSA Office. Please start this process as soon as possible. For application instructions and access to the application portal, go to www.ncagr.gov/agriculturaldisasterprogram.

Local FSA and Cooperative Extension offices will be available to assist farmers with applications. For more information, visit www.ncagr.gov/agriculturaldisasterprogram or call 1-866-645-9403.

–Andrea Ashby, NCDA&CS