Farmer Lorenda Overman surveys pig barns and a treatment lagoon after Hurricane Dorian made landfall in North Carolina. The pork industry has not reported negative impacts from the severe storm.
UPDATE: 11:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 6, 2019
There are no reports of significant impacts to North Carolina’s pork industry, which includes more than 2,000 farms, as a result of severe Hurricane Dorian, which made landfall in North Carolina this morning.
Surveying by the North Carolina Pork Council indicates some scattered farm-level power outages. On-farm generators are operating with ample fuel supplies. Wind damage has been minimal. Livestock and feed movements are beginning to occur in multiple locations.
Farm anaerobic treatment lagoons, which are used for manure management in protection of the environment, have been well-managed throughout the summer growing season. Rainfall amounts from the hurricane have not negatively impacted treatment lagoons.
Forecasts indicate potential flooding in eastern North Carolina, but it is not expected to cause impacts to pig farms. More than 300 lagoons have been removed from flood-prone areas in the past two decades.
Many of our farmers today are serving with their volunteer fire departments as first responders, and we are thankful for their service to our communities. Our concerns remain with others from North Carolina, and beyond, affected by the severe storm.
We continue to request – and urge – caution from media outlets and the public about claims regarding our industry. Extreme activist groups with anti-livestock agendas continue to spread falsehoods about our farms.
Further background information on preparations can be found here.