North Carolina farmers are facing an uphill battle as extreme weather events linked to climate change continue to wreak havoc on their livelihoods. From droughts to floods, the frequency and severity of these events have left many struggling to recover, and some are even considering selling their land—a sobering reality for an industry deeply rooted in the state's heritage.
On Wednesday, USDA Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Robert Bonnie toured farms across Wilson County, witnessing firsthand the devastation brought by Tropical Storm Debby. The storm, which resulted in agricultural losses in 30% of North Carolina’s counties, has exacerbated an already dire situation for farmers who are also grappling with drought conditions. 65% of NC counties have suffered agricultural losses.
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“We're seeing events like this all over the country at a much greater frequency than we've seen before,” Bonnie said, emphasizing the national scale of the issue. “It's a series of gut punches, not one thing. We've got to help our farmers get through.”
The numbers tell a grim story. Between 2017 and 2022, North Carolina lost 3,601 farms, translating to over 302,000 acres of farmland no longer in use. This trend, accelerated by the financial strain of natural disasters, high operating costs, and low commodity prices, is pushing farmers to the brink. "Easier to grow houses than food," lamented one local farmer, highlighting the temptation to sell land for development as farming becomes increasingly unsustainable.
Economic pressures compound the effects of climate change. Bob Etheridge, North Carolina’s USDA Farm Service Agency State Director, painted a bleak picture of the future, warning that crop damage from extreme heat, drought, and floods are putting farms in the red. “We were looking at numbers in the hundreds of millions of dollars before this is all said and done,” Etheridge said, noting that the full extent of the damage won’t be known for some time.
Corn, one of the state's most widespread crops, has been particularly hard-hit, along with soybeans and tobacco. Farmers like Pender Sharp, owner of Sharp Farms in Wilson County, are feeling the effects directly.
“We lost a significant amount of tobacco, just from the rain and the wind, but the real damage is coming now with the water that stood on the ground rotted the roots,” Sharp explained. The rapid deterioration of his crops could cut his income in half, a devastating blow to an operation already running on thin margins.
Sharp’s farm, a multi-generational operation, has weathered storms before, but the current situation feels different.
“It seems every year we have storm after storm, extreme weather after extreme weather," Sharp said. "And it's impossible when you farm in the weather every day and depend on that for your livelihood to be able to make a profit."
The uncertainty of future weather patterns makes it difficult for farmers to plan, invest and sustain their operations.
Both Bonnie and Etheridge underscored the importance of Congressional support to keep farms in the state alive.
“When you get a disaster situation this big, we need help from Congress,” Bonnie urged, highlighting the critical role of a new farm bill in providing the necessary resources to support farmers through these challenging times.
Etheridge echoed this sentiment, drawing a direct line between food security and national security. “If we can't feed ourselves, we've got a problem,” he stated. “When farmers have a problem, America has a problem.”
The message is clear: Without immediate and sustained support, North Carolina's agricultural backbone could be irrevocably weakened, leading to long-term consequences for the state's economy and food supply.
As the effects of climate change continue to unfold, the resilience of North Carolina’s farmers is being tested like never before. Their future —and the future of our food system — hangs in the balance.