The U.S. Department of Agriculture has declared more than half of North Carolina's counties a disaster due to drought and excessive heat during the period May 1 through Oct. 1, 2010. Buncombe is not one of the 67 designated counties.

“President Obama and I understand these conditions caused severe damage to a wide variety of crops and prevented farmers from harvesting these crops,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in a press release received by Xpress. “This action will provide help to farmers who suffered significant production losses.”

U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan of North Carolina issued this statement:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture determined that these counties experienced major crop losses due to drought and heat in 2010. The counties are now eligible for federal assistance through the Farm Service Agency (FSA).

“Farmers and producers in North Carolina who suffered significant crop losses this year now have access to federal assistance,” Hagan said. “In this already difficult economy, this aid will help ensure that farmers affected by drought and heat can continue to farm into the future. I will continue working to support North Carolina’s agricultural community.”

Vilsack gave the following NC counties agriculture disaster designations: Alamance, Anson, Beaufort, Bertie, Bladen, Brunswick, Camden, Carteret, Caswell, Chatham, Cherokee, Chowan, Clay, Columbus, Craven, Cumberland, Dare, Davidson, Davie, Duplin, Durham, Edgecombe, Forsyth, Franklin, Gates, Granville, Greene, Guilford, Halifax, Harnett, Hertford, Hoke, Hyde, Jackson, Johnston, Jones, Lee, Lenoir, Macon, Martin, Montgomery, Moore, Nash, New Hanover, Northampton, Onslow, Orange, Pamlico, Pasquotank, Pender, Perquimans, Person, Pitt, Randolph, Richmond, Robeson, Rowan, Sampson, Scotland, Stanley, Tyrrell, Vance, Wake, Warren, Washington, Wayne and Wilson.

Farmers in these counties are eligible to be considered for assistance from the FSA, provided eligibility requirements are met. Farmers have eight months from the date of the disaster declaration to apply for emergency loan assistance. Local FSA offices can provide affected farmers with further information.