Record flooding continued in parts of the Carolinas in late September, nearly two weeks after Hurricane Florence made landfall (GM Sept. 14, p. 1). Although the region’s fertilizer facilities generally escaped significant damage from the storm and the flooding that followed, Florence’s impact on agriculture was reportedly significant and worsening by the day.
Near Conway, S.C., the Waccamaw River was expected to crest at 21.2 feet on Sept. 26, at least three feet higher than its previous record. The Pee Dee River near Bucksport, S.C., topped its previous record by more than two feet, and evacuations were urged early in the week for about 8,000 residents of Georgetown County, S.C., as floodwaters continued to threaten homes and businesses.
Carolina-Eastern Inc. reported that most of its facilities weathered the storm in good shape, but the company’s location in Nichols, S.C., took on 4-5 feet of water after Florence. “That’s the only significant event as far as our fixed asset are concerned,” said Al Phillips, Carolina-Eastern president. “The water was three inches deeper than Hurricane Matthew, but we were better prepared for Florence.”
Phillips said all products at the Nichols and other locations were stored well off the ground to avoid floodwaters. The flooding at Nichols has since subsided, he said, and power has been restored to all locations.
Will Tigley, spokesman for Nutrien Ltd., confirmed that the company’s phosphate mine at Aurora, N.C., will soon be operating at normal rates after ramping up production late during the previous week. He said the complex’s chemical plants are all operating normally, and transportation lines to the plant have also returned to normal schedules.
The most significant losses, Phillips reported, are to crops just over the border in North Carolina. “The best cotton will lose 30 percent,” he told Green Markets. “The worst fields are completely gone.”
Initial estimates for crop damage and livestock losses to North Carolina’s agriculture industry are expected to be over $1.1 billion, the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDACS) said on Sept. 26, adding that this number easily tops the $400 million in damages experienced with Hurricane Matthew in 2016.
The state agency estimated current rowcrop losses at $986.6 million; forestry losses at $69.6 million; green industry losses at $30 million; vegetable and horticulture losses at $26.8 million; and livestock, poultry, and aquaculture losses at $23.1 million.
NCDACS estimated poultry losses at about 4.1 million birds, while swine deaths remained at the 5,500 total announced on Sept. 18 (GM Sept. 21, p. 1). Those figures also topped the toll from Hurricane Matthew, when livestock deaths numbered 2,800 swine and 1.8 million poultry.
“We knew the losses would be significant because it was harvest time for so many of our major crops and the storm hit our top six agricultural counties especially hard,” said N.C. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “These early estimates show just what a devastating and staggering blow this hurricane leveled at our agriculture industry.”
The NCDACS issued a bulletin on Sept. 21 warning farmers that flooded crops cannot be used for human food. Crops and commodities exposed to floodwaters are considered adulterated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the agency said, and cannot enter human food channels. They also cannot be used for animal feed unless they pass a testing protocol.
“Floodwater may contain sewage, harmful organisms, pesticides, chemical wastes, or other substances,” said Troxler. “Also, wet foods may grow mold, which can produce toxins that can harm humans and animals.”
The FDA guidance applies to all food crops, including surface crops such as leafy greens, tomatoes, and corn; underground crops such as peanuts and sweet potatoes; crops with a hard outer skin, such as watermelon and winter squash; and commodities such as grains, nuts, corn, and similar products stored in bulk. The FDA guidance applies to crops that were flooded with water from rivers, creeks, or streams. Pooled water, or rainwater that has collected in the field, is different from floodwater and is not likely to contaminate field crops.
The NCDACS said it is collaborating with N.C. State Extension in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at North Carolina State University to help farmers determine safe uses for crops affected by Florence’s floodwaters. Under an FDA process, farmers can submit a request to divert flooded crops or commodities to animal feed as long as they pass a testing protocol.
Before crops or commodities contacted by floodwaters can be used for animal feed, the farm must develop a diversion request detailing the process to assure the safety of the crop or commodity. Requests must be submitted to the NCDACS Food and Drug Protection Division. To assist farmers submitting diversion requests, the department said it will provide testing at no cost to the farm.
“This testing process can help farmers find alternative uses for their crops and commodities while maintaining confidence in the safety of our food supply,” Troxler said. “The department and the university are committed to helping in this recovery effort. We encourage farmers not to initiate any diversion actions until their request has been approved.”