This story was reported and written by Radio IQ.
Early estimates say Helene cost farmers in the Commonwealth more than a hundred and thirty-nine million dollars. This number from the Virginia Cooperative Extension Service is a developing tally and will likely increase in the coming days.
Wearing a straw cowboy hat and mud boots, Glynn Bise sits on the front of his tractor, looking over the mountainous pasture where he raises cows.
“Every bit of this fence was taken out by the flood,” he says.
He farms in Smyth County, not far from the North Carolina line. Bise’s cows survived the storm because they got to higher ground. But like many in this area, his farm flooded, and high winds and water destroyed fencing. His other concern is hay, which farmers use to feed cows in the winter when grass isn’t growing.
“I don’t know what people’s gonna do. There’s no hay. It’s just a bad situation for everybody,” Bise says.
He said the hay crop wasn’t great this year, so he and most farmers don’t have backups stored. He’s bracing for what may be higher prices for hay this winter, across the region.
“I don’t know what I’ll do this winter, if I can’t find hay,” Bise said. “I’ll just have to sell what I got I guess. Try to start again next year, maybe.”
Bise isn’t alone. Most farmers in this part of Virginia suffered losses as a result of Helene. State officials are still assessing the full scope of the damage. Farmers can reach out to their local extension agent to learn what assistance might be available, and to be included in the final tallies.
Mike Gutter, director of the Virginia Cooperative Extension, said agricultural damages are estimated and will likely go up in the coming days. “This does not include yet the timber losses, but that will be incorporated soon and will sadly continue to climb,” Gutter said in an email to Radio IQ.
Farmers can report damage and loss as a result of Helene to the Virginia Cooperative Extension here.
They compiled a list of ways to donate to farmers affected by the storm.
