As flooding and power outages persist in the wake of Hurricane Helene, officials are urging agricultural producers and industry stakeholders to contact their specific county emergency management officials for guidance regarding the storm’s impacts. A list of county contacts can be found here.
Clemson University, South Carolina Department of Agriculture and South Carolina Department of Commerce are also offering the following resources to agricultural industry stakeholders struggling with impacts from Hurricane Helene:
Clemson University Regulatory Agencies and Cooperative Extension
Clemson University Livestock-Poultry Health is encouraging livestock owners with questions or concerns specific to their species to contact the following Animal Health Program Managers:
- Equine and Swine: Dr. Sean Eastman, (803) 231-9503, peastma@clemson.edu
- Poultry: Dr. Julie Helm, (803) 260-6442, jhelm@clemson.edu
- Ruminants: Dr. Patty Scharko, (803) 422-6998, pschark@clemson.edu
Clemson Cooperative Extension is collecting information about the financial impact of Tropical Storm Helene on agriculture. Please use this link to complete the survey.
Debris must remain inside invasive species quarantine zones. Removal or disposal of debris from quarantine zones could result in the spread of invasive species dangerous to South Carolina agriculture and natural resources. This applies to all quarantine zones, including the USDA Asia Long-horned Beetle quarantine zone in the areas of Hollywood and Johns Island. Quarantine zone map here. Take material to the Bees Ferry landfill or local municipal drop-offs within the quarantine for disposal. Burning is also acceptable if it complies with other local regulations regarding burning.
The American Veterinary Medical Association is offering the following grant opportunities that may be able to assist veterinarians during a disaster:
- Disaster Reimbursement Grants for Veterinary Medical Care are for the purpose of ensuring the emergency veterinary medical care of animal victims of a disaster. Up to $5,000 may be issued per grantee for out-of-pocket expenses incurred by veterinarians providing emergency veterinary medical care to animal victims of disasters.
- Disaster Relief Grants for Veterinarians & Veterinary Students are for the purpose of assisting veterinarians and veterinary students who have experienced an emergency need for necessities due to a disaster. Up to $2,000 may be issued per grantee for out-of-pocket expenses incurred immediately following the disaster.
South Carolina Department of Commerce
The South Carolina Department of Commerce Emergency Management website offers the following resources for businesses struggling to maintain business continuity in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene:
- ESF-24 Business & Industry Listserv: SC Commerce distributes quarterly newsletters and non-disaster/disaster alerts to its listserv with the latest information from federal and state partners. Businesses can subscribe to the listserv here.
- S.C. Emergency Business Resources Dashboard: The dashboard houses the latest disaster information, such as road and bridge closures, power outages, shelter locations and more. Businesses can also use the app to report damages.
- Resources for Small Businesses: This tool provides information about various resources for small businesses and features topics such as grants, financial assistance and contracting.
South Carolina Department of Agriculture
The South Carolina Department of Agriculture is in the process of contacting food and feed manufacturers, retail food establishments, grocery stores, produce farms, dairies and other facilities to assess the impact of Helene. Businesses should respond or reach out to their respective SCDA contact if they have suffered damage, compromised food/feed products, or other storm-related issues. You can also contact the agency at 803-734-2210.
The SCDA also maintains an Emergency Planning and Disaster Response dashboard with information about flood recovery, power outages, boil water advisories and other emergency resources. Some highlights include:
- Food Safety for Flooded Farms Fact Sheet: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as well as Universities and Extension Programs across the country, have provided guidance on how to manage flood crops, keeping food safety in mind.
- Guidance for Industry: Evaluating the Safety of Flood-affected Food Crops for Human Consumption: Provides guidance to growers on how to evaluate the safety of flood-affected food crops for human consumption. This guidance applies to all food crops.
- Recovering from a Flood: Retail food establishments impacted by a flooding event should adhere to the specific guidance when it is safe to do so and prior to preparing and serving food.