Wal Mart disaster relief.

newbury · Oct 6, 2024

EddieWalker said:
North Carolina appears to have been totally unprepared for this. I get that, it's never happened before.

Actually it happened in 1916, very similar.

https://www.accuweather.com/en/hurricane/hurricane-helene-vs-the-great-flood-of-1916/1699549

jyoutz · Oct 7, 2024

Some information about other federal responses to the hurricane impacted region. There are also many more Departments responding. Responses go far beyond FEMA:

Dear USDA colleagues,

Each First Friday, I have the opportunity to reflect on everything USDA has done over the previous month. With the changes that the beginning of fall brings, USDA’s presence is felt in schools, in fields, in forests, at farmers markets, and even at ports and airports as we work to keep dangerous animal and plant diseases at bay.

I would be remiss not to highlight how much pride USDA takes in our work, and how far-reaching our mission is. Each of us knows how important the work is that we do, but it can be hard for outsiders to see the full picture.

I’d like to use this month’s First Friday message to acknowledge USDA’s incredible response effort to Hurricane Helene. Sometimes a crisis gives us the right perspective to look at the big picture, and this week has been one of those times. Hurricane Helene struck the east coast, flooding communities and leaving devastation and a high death toll in its wake. Many of our own employees live in or have loved ones in the affected area. Please know that my thoughts and prayers have been with you this week as our Department stands up its response.

Over the past week, USDA has been called on to bring our full suite of tools to bear to help impacted farmers, communities and families.

As of yesterday, we had deployed 190 team members, many of whom are with the Forest Service, to assist FEMA in clearing debris.

In a matter of days, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) identified a series of deadlines and flexibilities that farmers will need in order to access financial support we know they’ll need to help them stay on their feet. Because FSA offices in impacted areas remain closed, other offices in those states are picking up extra work for their colleagues. The Risk Management Agency has already coordinated with crop insurance companies to expedite payments to farmers, which they should receive this month.

On this coming Monday, the FPAC team is already hosting a webinar to help farmers understand what’s available to them and answer questions they may have.
Rural Development is looking at flexibilities within existing programs for communities impacted to address housing assistance for tenants and homeowners, water infrastructure needs, support to rural businesses, and continue to support existing participants of our Electric and Community Facilities programs, and will play an important role in the recovery effort as we restore and improve clean water and energy infrastructure. The Food Safety and Inspection Service will play a role in helping closed or damaged meat and poultry processing facilities prepare to resume processing farmers’ livestock and poultry in the southeast.
USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service, at states’ request, has already issued flexibilities and waivers for its many nutrition programs in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia and Kentucky so that people can more easily be served through programs like the Child Nutrition Program and Child and Adult Care Food Program. In response to the impact of Hurricane Francine in September, we had already provided a waiver for USDA’s Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP), to help nearly 40,000 households in Louisiana that may have temporary food needs as they settle back home following the disaster. We stand ready to do the same for the states impacted by Hurricane Helene.

NIFA has made possible the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network, which will be an important resource as people navigate the significant stress an event like this causes. For the southeast region, a 24/7 hotline is available at 888-831-7243.
AMS is in touch with many stakeholders they serve, including numerous producers across the impacted states, so we can provide the assistance they need. AMS’s Commodity Procurement team is working with FNS to procure infant formula, while the Agency’s Market News team continues to gather and disseminate crucial data and information not only to assist with the continued marketing of agricultural commodities, but also to assist agencies like FSA with data to be used for special assistance programs should the need arise.
APHIS is providing information to state and local government partners about invasive pests to inform debris management plans. APHIS has also assisted in securing help for an animal shelter in North Carolina, and aquarium in Florida, and an aquaculture facility in South Carolina.

There is so much more that USDA does on a daily basis, but I wanted to spend some time on the disaster response, because it demonstrates how capable USDA is of showing up for our neighbors when they need us most.

As the new fiscal year begins, I sign off with a reiteration of gratitude to each and every one of you in this department for your hard work and exceptional efforts to keep farmers farming, protect and steward our lands, keep communities safe and fed, and create innovation in ways that allows our diverse customers to thrive in the communities they love. Thank you for your extraordinary service.

Sincerely,
Secretary Thomas J. Vilsack

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

See this and other leadership announcements onOneUSDA

EddieWalker · Oct 8, 2024

One of my clients works for the USDA and is responsible for providing grants for farmers. This person has worked there for decades. Not once has any money ever gone to a farmer. Every single grant goes to a think tank organization that uses the money to figure out how best to help farmers.

2manyrocks · Oct 8, 2024

dodge man · Oct 8, 2024

I remember about 5 years ago there was a big landslide on I74 in the western part of Colorado. It took them a while to get two lanes and longer to get all 4 lanes open. This is similar to what’s going on in North Carolina except many times worse. I expect the road repairs alone will be over a billion dollars.

buckeyefarmer · Oct 8, 2024

I camped at Boone NC once when the remnant of a hurricane came thru. What a wild night that was, our little tent blew around all night and we got soaked inside. This one was totally more than most, normally by the time they reach NC they aren't packing that much rain so quick.
Our church's disaster relief has sent 24 tractor trailer loads so far, all distributed by local churches. All of this is done by volunteers, using volunteer truck drivers, and volunteer donations. Before bidenomics it was said each truck load was around $100K in value, so probably $150K now. They are already planning to send to FL for Milton's arrival.

dmccarty · Oct 10, 2024

dodge man said:
I remember about 5 years ago there was a big landslide on I74 in the western part of Colorado. It took them a while to get two lanes and longer to get all 4 lanes open. This is similar to what’s going on in North Carolina except many times worse. I expect the road repairs alone will be over a billion dollars.

They say I40 will reopen in September of 2025. Maybe a lane in each direction. If they can fix the I40 section that has been washed away in a year that will be amazing.

That section of I40 gets closed every few years, or so it seems, due to landslides and rock falls. I really is not a good location for a highway. I have read the route was decided by politics vs engineering and geological advice but I don't really know.

I know some of the rail roads follow at least one major river. I can't believe the rail roads next to the river are still intact.

Then there is there are the back roads and bridges that will have to be fixed and replaced....

I saw a video of one community where the took a couple of flatbed trailers in the creek to form a bridge for foot traffic and ATVs. I think the bulldozed the stream bed a bit to get the flatbeds positioned. I will bet some government or private group is going to go after them for what they did which will be horrible. They are supplying people trapped on the other side of the creek with food, medicine and fuel.

The flight tracking website I look at has had large numbers of copters over the mountains helping out.

2manyrocks · Oct 10, 2024

Many of these roads, bridges, and other crucial infrastructure were built in the days before there was an EPA. I've wondered how the permitting process today will affect rebuilding, including the cost.

MAX-24-Dean · Oct 10, 2024

2manyrocks said:
Many of these roads, bridges, and other crucial infrastructure were built in the days before there was an EPA. I've wondered how the permitting process today will affect rebuilding, including the cost.

Working on construction projects that were because of natural disasters has always been a rebuild to get it done mentality. The Government realizes that to get local economies back to normal after such disasters is in the best interest of the government and the local population.
Mostly the discussion centered around the fact that if they don't get things back to normal on a fast track, then how much tax revenue will they lose and for how long.