Category Archives: Top Agriculture News

Tens of billions in Hurricane Helene aid to start by March 21

Tens of billions in Hurricane Helene aid to start by March 21

ATLANTA (AP) — U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has pledged to start paying out tens of billions in aid to victims of Hurricane Helene later this month. But delays are already making it hard this year for some farmers to plant crops. Congress set a deadline of March 21 to hand out the money when it passed a $100 billion disaster relief package. The September 2024 storm cut a swath from Florida into North Carolina, causing more than $10 billion in estimated damages to farmers. A Georgia farmer says farmers need aid to repay 2024 debts so they can borrow anew to plant crops this spring.… Continue Reading

North Carolina lawmakers close in on another injection of Helene relief funds

North Carolina lawmakers close in on another injection of Helene relief funds

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina legislators appear to be closing in on legislation to provide more funds to help the mountains recover from Hurricane Helene. A measure advanced by Senate Republicans on Tuesday would spend another $533 million for Helene relief. The House passed a bill last week to spend $500 million. But the Senate measure provides even more funds to address lingering home construction projects from Hurricanes Matthew and Florence, as well as relief from other disasters in 2024. House and Senate leaders say a final supplemental bill could reach Gov. Josh Stein’s desk very soon. Legislators already have appropriated $1.1 billion for Helene relief since October.… Continue Reading

Lighter winds help crews fighting wildfires in South and North Carolina

Lighter winds help crews fighting wildfires in South and North Carolina

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (AP) — Lighter winds in South Carolina and North Carolina are helping firefighters battle blazes that caused evacuations and threatened hundreds of homes over the weekend. Firefighters kept a large blaze near Myrtle Beach from destroying any homes despite social media videos of orange skies at night and flames engulfing pine trees just yards away. The danger wasn’t over Monday. South Carolina officials banned almost all outdoor fires, including burning yard debris and campfires. In western North Carolina, firefighters were setting blazes to burn fuel and contain a wildfire in Polk County.… Continue Reading

Trump says 25% tariffs on Mexican and Canadian imports will start Tuesday, with ‘no room’ for delay

Trump says 25% tariffs on Mexican and Canadian imports will start Tuesday, with ‘no room’ for delay

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada will start Tuesday, sparking renewed fears of a North American trade war. He announced the coming tariffs at the White House on Monday. He says the tariffs are to force the two U.S. neighbors to step up their fight against fentanyl trafficking into the U.S. Trump provided a one-month delay in February as both countries promised concessions. But Trump said Monday that there was “no room left for Mexico or for Canada” to avoid the steep new tariffs. U.S. stock markets moved sharply lower after Trump’s comments. Trump said he would also add on another 10% tariff on goods from China, on top of the initial 10% he put in place last month.… Continue Reading

To her, Hurricane Helene debris isn’t trash. It is full of memories — and she’s returning them

To her, Hurricane Helene debris isn’t trash. It is full of memories — and she’s returning them

SWANNANOA, N.C. (AP) — U.S. National Guard Capt. Jill Holtz spends much of her free time in Swannanoa, North Carolina, searching for items lost from Hurricane Helene’s severe flooding a few months ago. She hopes to reunite storm victims with their cherished possessions after they lost hope that they’d ever find them again. Holtz finds a variety of items such as photos, family heirlooms and antiques. She keeps them in her trailer and posts her finds to Facebook in hopes that the items’ owners will see. Holtz says hurricane debris isn’t “just trash” and is instead people’s “hearts, their homes, the generations of history.”… Continue Reading

Egg prices could jump another 41% this year, USDA says, as Trump’s bird flu plan unveiled

Egg prices could jump another 41% this year, USDA says, as Trump’s bird flu plan unveiled

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration believes a renewed emphasis on biosecurity can help in the battle against bird flu and ease egg prices, but the Agriculture Department predicts the current record prices are going to get much worse this year. It’s also not clear how much more farmers can do to keep the virus out. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins offered the first new details about her bird flu plan Wednesday. But USDA predicted this week that egg prices will soar more than 41 percent this year on top of the record average price of $4.95 per dozen.… Continue Reading

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