Hurricane Helene Block Grant Program is sponsored by USDA. A block grant agreement between USDA and the Georgia Department of Agriculture to provide recovery assistance to agricultural producers affected by Hurricane Helene.

USDA Block Grant Disaster Relief | NC Agriculture In September, Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler and USDA Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden signed a $221 million federal block grant agreement today that targets aid to North Carolina farmers who sustained losses and damages from Hurricane Helene in 2024. This Block Grant is for production losses not covered by USDA programs or crop insurance.

The program will cover four categories of eligible losses: infrastructure damage, market losses, future economic losses and timber losses. It applies to the 39 counties that received a Presidential Disaster Declaration for Hurricane Helene. Applications will accepted through June 12, 2026.

Contact the NCDA&CS Ag Disaster Program Monday through Friday, 8 a. m. to 5 p.

m. , at 866-747-9823 or email at agdisaster@ncagr. gov at any time.

Press Release: $221 million federal disaster block grant application period opens March 30 to assist agriculture and forestry producers Press Release: Fourth category of USDA block grant to assist landowners with timber losses from Hurricane Helene will begin accepting applications April 20 Future Economic Loss Application Farm Structures, Roads, Bridges, and Culverts Future Economic Loss Application Future Economic Loss Application PDF Preview of application Farm Structures, Roads, Bridges, and Culverts Farm Structures, Roads, Bridges, and Culverts Application PDF preview of application PDF preview of application Forestry Loss (TLRP) – This application period will open April 20, 2026.

Applicants interested in this program will need to contact their local county Forestry Office. The County Ranger staff will be assisting with the application process. More information can be found at the N.

C. Forest Service Timber Relief website. What are the USDA Block Grant Disaster Relief Payments Is this different than the Ag Disaster Crop Loss Program/Payment?

How do I apply for assistance? How do I apply for the Timber Loss Category? When is the application period?

Do I have to submit a separate application for each category and county? When are checks going out? Whom do I contact if I have questions about my application?

I applied for the State Agricultural Disaster Crop Loss Program, how can I obtain my application reference number? How do I report this payment for tax purposes? Is there a printable version of the FAQs?

What are the USDA Block Grant Disaster Relief Payments The payments are part of a total of $221 million in block grant funding authorized by The Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2025 (Division B of the American Relief Act, 2025, P. L. 118-158) for qualifying losses due to Hurricane Helene.

Producers in a NC county declared as a disaster by the President or designated a disaster by the Secretary under the Stafford Act in the 2024 calendar year due to Hurricane Helene or any contiguous county to such declared or designated disaster county. Necessary expenses related to Timber Loss, Infrastructure Loss, Loss for Commodities and Value-Added Products, and Future Economic Loss.

Only losses in these categories not covered by any other USDA program are eligible. Is this different than the Ag Disaster Crop Loss Program/Payment? Yes.

This program utilizes federal funding and requires a separate application process. Through a block grant agreement with USDA, NCDA&CS is authorized to administer the funding to eligible producers for certain Hurricane Helene losses not covered by other USDA programs. How do I apply for assistance?

Specific applications are linked on this website for the following categories: Market Loss for Commodities and Value-Added Products, and How do I apply for the Timber Loss Category? The Timber Loss Relief Program will be administered by the North Carolina Forest Service. This program has a different application window than the other 3 categories.

More information on the Timber Loss Relief Program can be found at the NC Forest Service website https://www. ncagr. gov/divisions/nc-forest-service/managing-your-forest/tlrp .

The Timber Loss Relief Program has a different application window than the other 3 categories. The TLRP will begin accepting landowner applications April 20, 2026, and will remain open for a two-month period, until June 12, 2026. TLRP timber damage assessment reports associated with a landowner’s TLRP application will need to be submitted by July 10, 2026.

When is the application period? The application period for the Infrastructure Loss, Market Loss for Commodities and Value-Add Products, and Future Economic Loss Categories will be March 30, 2026 – June 12, 2026. The Timber Loss Relief Program has a different application window than the other 3 categories.

The TLRP will begin accepting landowner applications April 20, 2026, and will remain open for a two-month period, until June 12, 2026. TLRP timber damage assessment reports associated with a landowner’s TLRP application will need to be submitted by July 10, 2026. Do I have to submit a separate application for each category and county?

Yes, you must submit a separate application for each category and county a producer or landowner qualifies for. When are checks going out? Payments will not go out until after the application period closes and calculations are completed.

NCDA&CS anticipates that the payments will go out in batches. Per USDA guidelines, as a condition of receiving payments, an Eligible Producer must agree to certain related to obtaining crop insurance or Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) coverage for certain future crop years. This applies to future economic loss and market loss for commodities and value-added products categories only.

For more information on crop insurance visit USDA Risk Management Agency at https://www. rma. usda.

gov/about-crop-insurance . To find a local RMA agent, visit https://www. rma.

usda. gov/tools-reports/agent-locator . For Non-Insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP), visit https://www.

fsa. usda. gov/resources/programs/noninsured-crop-disaster-assistance-related-information Whom do I contact if I have questions about my application?

Please send any questions via email to agdisaster@ncagr. gov at any time or call the Disaster Assistance Hotline 1-866-747-9823 from 8 a. m.

to 5 p. m. Monday – Friday.

North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service Staff in your county will be available to assist producers with the application process. I applied for the State Agricultural Disaster Crop Loss Program, how can I obtain my application reference number? This number is available on the e-mail you received at the time of application for the state program.

You may also find the reference number on the check stub from any prior payments of which you received payment. You may also send an email to agdisaster@ncagr. gov at any time or call the Disaster Assistance Hotline 1-866-747-9823 from 8 a.

m. to 5 p. m.

Monday – Friday. How do I report this payment for tax purposes? Everyone who received a payment will also receive a 1099 for the tax year in which the payment was issued.

Is there a printable version of the FAQs? A printable version on the FAQs is available at Ag Disaster USDA Block Grant FAQs . USDA Block Grant Training Video N.

C. Cooperative Extension County Offices RMA (Crop Insurance) Agent Locator NC Forest Service County Offices