Bill > H296

This bill establishes the 2024 Agricultural Disaster Corn Crop Loss Program to provide financial assistance to corn farmers in North Carolina who experienced significant crop losses due to extreme weather events in 2024, including drought, excessive rainfall, and hurricanes. The State Controller will transfer $89,508,792 from the State Emergency Response and Disaster Relief Fund to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to support the program. Eligible farmers must have verifiable corn crop losses in counties with a USDA secretarial disaster declaration, with corn that was planted but not harvested. The Department will calculate financial assistance using a formula based on acreage, county loss estimates, and agricultural statistics. Farmers must submit documentation like Form 578 within 45 days of the bill's enactment, and the Department may audit recipients to ensure proper fund usage. Awarded funds can be used for agricultural production expenses and recovery costs, and recipients must provide a signed affidavit certifying the accuracy of their loss claims. The program will expire 30 months after becoming effective, with any unused funds reverting to the State Emergency Response and Disaster Relief Fund. The bill aims to provide targeted support to help North Carolina's corn farmers recover from the significant agricultural challenges faced in 2024.

Budget and Finance

https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/H296