From Farm Aid

AMBRIDGE, Mass. — As farmers and ranchers in North and South Carolina deal with the impact of historic rainfall and flooding from Hurricane Florence, Farm Aid has activated its Family Farm Disaster Fund to provide direct aid to organizations helping family farmers in the affected region.

“Farm Aid cares deeply about those affected by Hurricane Florence in the Carolinas. We invite everyone to join with us to give all the support we possibly can to these farmers,” said Farm Aid President Willie Nelson. “No farmer should be in danger of losing the farm because of a weather disaster.”

Farm Aid’s relief efforts will focus on the family farmers and ranchers who have lost their crops, livestock, pasture, barns and other essentials. Record rainfall, flooding and wind damage has left farmers under standing water. Every dollar raised will support local and regional organizations working on the ground to distribute emergency grants to farm families affected by Florence and to offer resources that help farmers navigate their farm recovery options.

Farm Aid’s partners include Rural Advancement Foundation International-USA, Federation of Southern Cooperatives, and Farmers’ Legal Action Group who are coordinating with a number of farmers, organizations and communities locally to:

• Make emergency grants to farm and ranch families in the Carolinas;
• Help farmers and ranchers understand their farm recovery options;
• Support local and state farm service providers to help farmers navigate recovery options, from mental health resources to federal funding opportunities; and
• Advocate for needed disaster recovery funds and resources from the federal government.

Farm Aid is also working with partners in disaster-affected areas to determine the long-term needs of impacted farmers and ranchers. If you are a farmer who has been affected by Hurricane Florence, please contact Farm Aid at 1-800-FARM-AID (800-327-6243) or farmhelp@farmaid.org. Additional tools for farmers and ranchers are available at farmaid.org/disaster. To donate, please visit farmaid.org/disasterfund.

Farm Aid’s mission is to build a vibrant, family farm-centered system of agriculture in America. Farm Aid artists and board members Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews host an annual festival to raise funds to support Farm Aid’s work with family farmers and to inspire people to choose family farm food. For more than 30 years, Farm Aid, with the support of the artists who contribute their performances each year, has raised more than $53 million to support programs that help farmers thrive, expand the reach of the Good Food Movement, take action to change the dominant system of industrial agriculture and promote food from family farms.