Hurricanes

Ag official tours farm damage in Duplin County

The head of the United States Department of Agriculture was able to see the impact of Hurricane Florence first-hand on Monday.

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KENANSVILLE, N.C. — The head of the United States Department of Agriculture was able to see the impact of Hurricane Florence first-hand on Monday.

Sonny Perdue made the visit to Duplin County to see the devastation farmers now have to face.

"It gives you a sense of security that Washington is paying attention to what is going on here in rural America," said Elwood Garner, a farm manager at Dail Farms.

Perdue toured Dail Farms, where 12 chicken houses flooded during the storm.

"I would dare guess that we're looking at somewhere around three to four weeks with no animals on the farm, trying to get back in production," Garner said.

That time is money that farmers don't have to waste, especially on the heels of Hurricane Matthew.

"We're going to need significant federal help. The state needs to step up and do its part," said Gov. Roy Cooper.

"We want to do everything we can to partner with the commissioner, with the Governor and with Congress to make the cleanup and restoration as healthy and helpful as possible," Perdue said.

No birds were lost at Dail Farms. They had been sent to slaughter just before the storm.

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