WASHINGTON, D.C. — In 2016, Hurricane Matthew was the first Category 5 storm to hit the East Coast since 2007. Massive recovery efforts took place all over Eastern North Carolina in the wake of the storm. With NIFA funding, North Carolina State Extension was front and center in the hardest-hit counties.
“Our agents jumped in and did a great job helping to address human needs,” said Mike Yoder, Extension coordinator of emergency programs, who was embedded with the North Carolina Emergency Operations Center during the crisis.
Hurricane Matthew left hundreds of roads in eastern North Carolina impassible, which made getting feed to livestock difficult. Specialists and agents also served as a critical link between farmers and state-level organizations, quickly relaying urgent information.
“We all know Extension is not an 8-to-5 job,” said Extension Director Rich Bonanno. “I’m really proud to be at the head of an organization where people are so dedicated to what they do. This was a situation where there was a lot of pressure … a lot of things needed to happen fast, and I’m thankful that our people really showed what they were made of.”
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— USDA
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