Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeastern United States

FOREST SERVICE

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

General Technical Report SRS-260pSouthern Research Station October 2021

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery

in the Southeastern United States

Rice Producers Guide

AUTHORS:

Bobby Golden

, Associate Extension Professor,

Mississippi State University, Stoneville, MS 38776.

Dustin Harrell

, Professor and Extension Rice Specialist,

Louisiana State University, Rayne, LA 70578.

Jerey Mansour,

Agronomy/Soil Fertility Research

Assistant, Mississippi State University, Stoneville, MS

38776.

EDITORS:

Steven McNulty

, Director, USDA Southeast Climate Hub,

Research Triangle Park, NC 27709.

Michael Gavazzi

, Coordinator, USDA Southeast Climate

Hub, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709.

Prepared in coordination with and/or based on information from Mississippi State Extension Services,

Mississippi Rice Promotion Board, and Louisiana State Extension Services.

This is 1 of 23 guides to help Southeastern U.S. producers of

economically important agricultural commodities build resilience

to, prepare for, and recover from hurricane impacts. All guides can

be found on the USDA Southeast Climate Hub Hurricane Preparation

and Recovery Commodity Guides website.

Disclaimer:

This guide contains a compilation of information from multiple coastal States in the Southeastern

United States. Therefore, some of the links and resources may not be relevant or even appropriate for your location.

Information in this document was provided by USDA and various university Extension sta and based on shared

experiences preparing for and recovering from hurricane impacts; however, individual producer situations will vary.

This guidance should not be interpreted as required actions by regulatory or insurance agencies. STATE OR LOCAL

GUIDANCE/REGULATIONS AND INSURANCE POLICIES SUPERCEDE THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THIS GUIDE. Check

with your local Extension agent; county, State, or Federal contact; consultant; or insurance agent regarding the

appropriateness of these recommendations to your specific situation.

Pesticide Statement:

Pesticides used improperly can be injurious to humans, animals, and plants. Follow the

directions and heed all precautions on the labels.

Apply pesticides so that they do not endanger humans, livestock, crops, beneficial insects, fish, and wildlife. Do not

apply pesticides when there is danger of drift, when honey bees or other pollinating insects are visiting plants, or in

ways that may contaminate water or leave illegal residues.

Note:

Some States have restrictions on the use of certain pesticides. Check your State and local regulations. Also,

because registrations of pesticides are under constant review by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, consult

your county agricultural agent or State Extension specialist to be sure the intended use is still registered.

Photos:

COVER: Licensed photo by IRRI Photos/Flickr.com. PAGE 1: Licensed photo by Jarrod Hardke, University of

Arkansas, System Division of Agriculture/Flickr.com.

Acknowledgments: The USDA Ofﬁce of the Chief Economist and

USDA Forest Service Ofﬁce of Sustainability and Climate provided

partial funding for the development of this guide. Special thanks to

Karin Matchett and Elijah Worley for technical editing, and the USDA

Farm Service Agency for reviewing and commenting on the Disaster

Assistance Programs.

October 2021

https://doi.org/10.2737/SRS-GTR-260p

Southeast Climate Hub

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

Research & Development

Southern Research Station

General Technical Report SRS-260p

Southern Research Station

200 W.T. Weaver Blvd.

Asheville, NC 28804

www.srs.fs.usda.gov

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery

in the Southeastern United States

Rice Producers Guide

This guide will focus on:

●

Evaluating the growth stages of rice and forecasting the

time to physiological maturity in relation to hurricane

landfall

●

Preparations to minimize downed, lodged, or shattered rice

panicles

●

Evaluating hurricane damage and determining a post-

hurricane plan of action

Contents

Introduction 1

section 1

Building a Resilient Operation 3

Personal safety 3

Recordkeeping, documentation, and insurance 3

Infrastructure 4

Crop concerns 7

Emergency planning 7

section 2

Long-Term Operation Maintenance 11

Prior to hurricane season 11

Monthly considerations during hurricane season 13

section 3

Short-Term Preparedness 15

1–7 days before a hurricane is forecast to strike 15

1 day before the hurricane strikes 19

section 4

Post-Hurricane Recovery 20

Immediately after the hurricane has passed 20

Within a week following hurricane impacts 21

Within a month after hurricane impacts 27

Appendix 29

Farm Emergency Plan 29

Before the hurricane 29

Immediately after the hurricane 32

Emergency Contacts List 34

Initial Site Planning 37

Hurricane risk 37

Site characteristics 37

Resource Links 39

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

Introduction

Preparing for and recovering from hurricane events

People who live and work in the Southeastern United States are unfortunately

familiar with the devastation and loss of life and property that can accompany a

hurricane event. While hurricanes have always been a threat to the Southeast, with

an average of over two strikes per year since 1900, the threat posed by hurricanes

is growing. Recent studies suggest that as ocean temperatures continue to rise,

hurricane intensity is increasing. Hurricanes of the future will likely be slower

moving, higher category hurricanes that produce destructive winds and ﬂooding.

To help producers remain resilient and productive in the face of this threat, the U.S.

Department of Agriculture (USDA) Southeast Climate Hub developed this guide

containing steps that can be taken to prepare for and recover from hurricane events.

This guide is separated into four primary sections:

●

The Building a Resilient Operation section outlines a range of considerations

and systems that producers can put in place to increase their resilience to

hurricanes.

●

The Long-Term Operation Maintenance section lists speciﬁc pre-hurricane

actions and periodic checks to be done on an annual basis (before hurricane

season) and monthly basis (during hurricane season).

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

Introduction

●

The Short-Term Preparedness section lists speciﬁc actions to be done in the week

before a hurricane arrives.

●

The Post-Hurricane Recovery section outlines activities that producers can

take to minimize their losses following a hurricane. It begins with actions

immediately following a hurricane that are focused on safety and continues

with ongoing actions a week out and a month out.

The guide also includes an appendix with two customizable templates for a Farm

Emergency Plan and an Emergency Contacts List. Directions on what to include in

these two documents are outlined in the Building a Resilient Operation section.

Their use is described in the Short-Term Preparedness section. Both the plan and

list should be periodically reviewed, as mentioned in the Long-Term Operation

Maintenance section. The appendix also includes an Initial Site Planning guide

that can be referenced if purchasing or leasing new land, and Resource Links to

helpful Federal, State, and Extension websites that are also referenced throughout

the guide.

The ﬂowchart below shows the layout of this guide and how it is intended to be

used. Note that after recovering from a hurricane, producers should start back

at the Building a Resilient Operation section, and incorporate guidance and any

lessons learned into their operational and emergency management plans.

Layout and use of the hurricane preparation and recovery guide.

Post-Hurricane Recovery

Section 4

Building a Resilient Operation

Section 1

Long-Term Operation Maintenance

(annual to monthly)

Section 2

Short-Term Preparedness

(1–7 days pre-hurricane)

Section 3

Initial Site Planning

(if looking for new land)

Appendix

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

SECTION 1: Building a Resilient Operation

section 1

Building a Resilient Operation

Systems that are recommended to be put in place well before

the arrival of any hurricane to increase productivity

and reduce your risk of damage and recovery time

Agricultural operations in the Southeastern United States can implement a range of

measures to increase their resilience to hurricanes and tropical storms. Contact your

local Extension ofﬁce and other State and Federal resources for further information.

Personal safety

For safety tips and resources that facilitate informed decision making before,

during, and after a hurricane strikes, see the Ready.gov Hurricanes website and

U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

(NOAA) Hurricane Safety Tips and Resources website.

Recordkeeping, documentation, and insurance

●

The importance of pre- and post-hurricane documentation cannot be overstated.

Assistance for disaster recovery may not be available until weeks or months after

a hurricane. Therefore, it is important for purposes of insurance compensation

and recovery assistance to do thorough recordkeeping of the damages and losses

sustained on your farm as well as your cleanup and recovery efforts.

●

The worst time to ﬁnd out that you do not have enough insurance, or the right

insurance, to cover your damages is when you need help recovering. Regularly

review your insurance policies with your agent to be sure you have adequate

coverage, including ﬂood insurance, for your facilities, vehicles, farm buildings

and other structures, and crops. Be aware that there are limitations on how soon

insurance coverage will take effect. Generally, insurance policies will not cover

damage if the policy was not in place before a hurricane has formed.

●

Establish an inventory system so that you know exactly what’s on your farm

at all times for potential insurance claims and disaster recovery assistance. It is

critical to have a documented inventory (photos, videos, and written lists and

descriptions) of your farm buildings, vehicles, and valuable equipment on your

farm before a disaster occurs. Maintain accurate records of harvest, equipment

inventories, and supplies purchased. This inventory and documentation will

be essential for ﬁling insurance claims after the hurricane. Keep copies of this

inventory in multiple places such as on your computer, offsite in a safe location,

and on a cloud-based server using an established procedure to update and

transmit the information weekly.

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

SECTION 1: Building a Resilient Operation

●

Take these records with you when evacuating for hurricanes:

▬

Inventories and documentation for insurance and disaster recovery

▬

Farm Emergency Plan

▬

Emergency Contacts List

●

For more information, see:

▬

USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) Crop Insurance website for news and

information about insurance, including the Hurricane Insurance Protection—

Wind Index (HIP-WI) Endorsement

▬

RMA Agent Locator to search for approved insurance providers

▬

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management

Agency (FEMA) Flood Insurance website to learn more about ﬂood insurance

options for qualifying home and business owners

Infrastructure

Buildings

●

Consult topography and ﬂood maps when building new facilities.

●

Locate buildings above the 100-year ﬂood zone whenever possible, and

construct buildings and other structures to a minimum wind rating of 140

miles per hour (mph), preferably 180 mph. For more guidance on protecting farm

structures and buildings from winds and ﬂooding, see the FEMA Compilation

of Wind-Resistant Provisions and Design Guide for Improving Critical Facility

Safety from Flooding and High Winds.

Power and backup power

Circuit breakers

●

Know the location of your main circuit breaker and breaker box. The box is

generally located inside of buildings, but additional breakers may be located

outside.

●

Ensure that the breakers, including the main breaker, are correctly labeled.

Correct labeling will help you ensure power is cut to the appropriate appliances

or to the entire building.

Backup power

●

Create a Backup Power Plan and store with your Farm Emergency Plan (see

“Emergency planning” below).

●

Check with local, county, and State codes for any requirements to supply backup

power during short-term emergencies.

●

To provide power when the main power goes out, supply critical operating

areas with a standby generator wired with a transfer switch. Several types of

generators and diesel-powered pumps are available. Ensure that your generator is

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

SECTION 1: Building a Resilient Operation

capable of supplying the power required by the irrigation pump to convey water

to the entire area. Install generators with enough fuel storage for at least 2 weeks

of full operation.

●

Post the operating procedures near each generator. Consult your owner’s manual

for speciﬁc safety, maintenance, and operational recommendations.

Roads

●

The primary driveway into the farm should have adequate drainage to prevent

ﬂooding. The road should be well packed with a solid base that will hold up to

heavy equipment and trucks during extreme conditions. For more information

on maintaining unpaved roads, see the USDA Environmentally Sensitive Road

Maintenance Practices for Dirt and Gravel Roads.

●

If you do not have a secondary entrance to your farm, construct one if possible

to provide alternative access from a different road in the event the primary

entrance is blocked.

●

If the farm is in a location where all roads leading in and out may ﬂood,

purchase or make arrangements to rent or borrow a boat that can safely navigate

the ﬂoodwaters to gain faster post-hurricane access to your property.

Water management

Total water management is essential, including irrigation and drainage systems,

and must take into account the water table and soil drainage.

Drainage

●

Clean ditches at least every 5 years to remove plant debris and soil that has built

up from erosion.

●

Maintain optimal grading in ditches when cleaning them.

Irrigation

Locate irrigation pumps in elevated areas to reduce ﬂooding risks to the pump, and

install them with a backﬂow prevention device to avoid contamination in case of

power loss. Keep the access road to the pump clear so that it is easier to bring in

generators or diesel-powered pumps after a hurricane.

Water table depth

●

The amount of ﬂooding will be determined by your land’s topography, the amount

of precipitation received, and the pre-hurricane water table. The higher the pre-

hurricane water table, the more likely that ﬂooding will occur for a given amount

of precipitation. The chance of ﬂooding can be estimated by measuring the pre-

hurricane water table and considering the effects of varying precipitation amounts:

A general rule of thumb is that 1 inch of rain will cause the water table to rise

about 10 inches in ﬁne-textured soils, 6 inches in most of the ﬂatwoods sandy

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

SECTION 1: Building a Resilient Operation

soils, and 4 inches in coarse sands. It may take 4 to 6 days for the water table

to return to its desired levels following rains of 1 inch or more. For example,

if the water table is at 50 inches, 6 inches of precipitation will cause localized

ﬂooding on ﬁne-textured soils, but no ﬂooding would occur on sandy soils.

●

For more information about water management, see:

▬

Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Building Soils for Better Crops

Irrigation and Drainage chapters

▬

Alabama Cooperative Extension System Agricultural Best Management

Practices for Water Quality website

▬

Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission Best Management Practices

for Georgia Agriculture website

▬

Louisiana State University AgCenter Irrigation website

▬

Mississippi State Extension Service Irrigation website

▬

North Carolina Cooperative Extension Irrigation Resources website

▬

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS)

Extension Water Management for Agriculture website

▬

Virginia Cooperative Extension Water, Irrigation, and Drainage website

Trees and windbreaks

●

Remove trees that could potentially blow down and block the entrance to the

farm.

●

If land is elevated and unprotected, consider creating windbreaks along the edge

of ﬁelds. This is particularly valuable if adjoining land has bare soil and can

prevent or reduce sandblasting of plants during a hurricane.

●

Trees and shrubs used as windbreaks should be native species that will develop

strong, deep root systems and be hardy enough to resist breaking during high

winds. For example, red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) resists strong winds very

well. Keep trees or shrubs pruned and free of dead or dying branches.

●

For more information about how windbreaks can protect crops and provide

economic, environmental, and commercial beneﬁts, see the USDA National

Agroforestry Center Windbreaks website.

Debris disposal

●

Create a plan for salvage operations including a method of debris disposal. Learn

what materials and the speciﬁcations regarding composition of materials the

landﬁll nearest your farm will accept, and identify alternatives if needed. For

disposal of chemicals or other hazardous materials, follow speciﬁc procedures to

meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requirements.

●

For more information about debris disposal following natural disasters, see

the EPA Dealing with Debris and Damaged Buildings website, including their

Disaster Debris Recovery Tool.

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

SECTION 1: Building a Resilient Operation

Crop concerns

Variety selection

●

Choose disease-resistant crop varieties to improve plant health and decrease

susceptibility to outbreaks when plants are stressed. Use varieties of rice

that are moderately resistant to lodging, as they will have a greater chance

of withstanding high winds and remaining upright post-hurricane. All seed

companies should have a list of available rice varieties with lodging ratings.

●

For the latest rice variety testing results, see:

▬

Louisiana State University AgCenter Rice Varieties and Management Tips

website

▬

Mississippi State University Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station Rice

Variety Trials website

Planting dates and seeding rates

●

To ensure that any hurricane damage to your crop is covered by your crop

insurance, plant your crop before the ﬁnal planting day for crop insurance in

your State. This may vary by county and year, so use the USDA RMA Actuarial

Information Browser Tool to determine the ﬁnal planting date for your crop.

While the late planting period continues beyond the ﬁnal planting date, check

with your insurance provider for details that may apply if you plant during this

time period. Look closely at insurance policies to determine speciﬁc details, as

requirements can change.

●

Rice-producing areas along the Gulf Coast of Texas and Louisiana should target

planting dates earlier in the recommended planting window (March 10 to April

15) to target an earlier harvest date (late July to early August). This will help

ensure that harvest occurs prior to the peak of hurricane season in September.

Emergency planning

U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

regulations require an employer with more than 10 employees to have a printed

copy of an emergency action plan readily accessible to all employees. (If you have

10 employees or fewer, the emergency plan may be reviewed orally.) For more

information about emergency action plans, see the OSHA Agricultural Safety Fact

Sheet.

Farm Emergency Plan

●

Your Farm Emergency Plan details how your operation will respond in the

event of a hurricane, prepare for a worst-case scenario, and ensure continuity of

operations.

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

SECTION 1: Building a Resilient Operation

●

Consider bringing together a disaster planning team, which could consist of

the farm owner and engaged family members, the farm manager, an insurance

representative, local Extension agent, and other individuals.

●

Create your Farm Emergency Plan. See Appendix: Farm Emergency Plan for a

sample plan that you can customize for your operation. The plan should include

a checklist of tasks necessary to secure the facilities, fuel supplies, chemical

supplies, and equipment; disconnect electricity and gas service; ensure that

critical supplies are well stocked; etc. Develop two pre-hurricane checklists: one

if evacuating the area, and one if you are staying.

●

Make sure all of your employees know the formats (electronic or hard copy) and

locations where the Farm Emergency Plan is stored.

●

Consider creating a “hurricane suggestion box” where employees can place ideas

for training and planning they believe would increase the operation’s resilience

and safety in the face of a hurricane, based on their previous experience.

Maps and signage

Prepare or update maps for all facilities, including locations of alternate entry/exit

routes, electrical equipment (with shut-off options), fuel storage tanks (both above

and below ground), propane tanks, compressed gas (for welding, etc.), and chemical

spill equipment.

Hurricane tracking apps

Download one or more computer and mobile device applications (apps) that model

hurricane track predictions, send alerts, and track hurricane impacts. Given the

rapid advance of mobile technologies, check for new options each year prior to

hurricane season. The NOAA National Hurricane Center website is a good source

for keeping up to date on the latest hurricane activities. For more information about

emergency alerts, see the Ready.gov Emergency Alerts website.

Roles and responsibilities

●

Designate an Emergency Response Team for your farm. Members of the team

should be:

▬

Thoroughly trained and physically capable of performing assigned duties

▬

Knowledgeable about the hazards found on the farm

▬

Trained in decision making regarding when to take actions themselves and

when to wait for outside emergency responders

●

Deﬁne a chain of command with clearly deﬁned primary and secondary roles

and each person’s responsibilities. Some individuals may not be reachable after

a hurricane, so alternative levels of authority need to be established to resolve

critical issues quickly. In your Farm Emergency Plan, list who will be responsible

for each task and how they’ll report ﬁre, ﬂooding, building collapses, and other

emergencies. Identify procedures to be followed by the people who remain to

handle critical operations.

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

SECTION 1: Building a Resilient Operation

Communication

Emergency Contacts List

●

Develop and maintain a list of all people connected with your operation that

should be contacted in an emergency. See Appendix: Emergency Contacts List

for a template that you can customize. The Emergency Contacts List should

include names, phone numbers, and all other pertinent information (email

addresses, locations, etc.) for individuals (owners, family members, employees,

employee family members), emergency responders, State and local agencies,

contractors and suppliers, and anyone else who is on your farm on a regular basis

or provides crucial emergency services.

●

Keep copies of your Emergency Contacts List (hard copies as well as electronic

copies) in multiple locations, including your home, ofﬁce, and vehicle, and with

all family members and key employees. It is a good idea to have this information

stored on your and your employees’ cellular devices.

Lines of communication with local businesses and ofﬁcials

Establish communication with your local law enforcement and ﬁre departments,

electricity and gas providers, and other key groups to help them understand

the nature of your business so that they can respond as needed in the event of a

hurricane. Let them know the number of employees typically onsite, the potential

impact of the hurricane on crops, and the potential hazards that could lead to

environmental contamination in the event of a ﬂood or structural damage.

Post-hurricane communications

●

Purchase a battery-powered or hand-crank radio to stay up to date about

conditions beyond your property in case you lose electricity for an extended

period of time.

●

Consider ahead of time the locations where producers and others could meet if

all communication lines are down (e.g., a local feed or equipment supplier).

●

Contact a local AM radio station to see whether it could serve as a

communication channel in the aftermath of a hurricane.

●

For more hurricane-related communication recommendations, see the U.S.

Federal Communications Commission FCC and FEMA: How to Communicate

Before, During and After a Major Disaster website.

Electricity and gas

●

Develop a plan for turning off electrical power before the hurricane and

reconnecting immediately after the hurricane has passed.

●

Contact your local utility company for guidance on how to disconnect power in

the event of downed lines. Record their instructions in your Farm Emergency Plan.

●

If certain equipment requires specialized shutdown procedures, train employees

in these procedures.

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

SECTION 1: Building a Resilient Operation

Equipment operation

●

Train personnel in the safe operation of unfamiliar equipment (such as

generators or drainage pumps) that they may have to use in case of a hurricane.

●

Make sure that appropriate employees are prepared to set up your backup

generators. They should refer to your Backup Power Plan for information about

where generators and generator fuel can be found, where they should be placed

in preparation for a hurricane, and how they are to be connected to the electrical

loads they will power.

Drones

Consider getting an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) (i.e., drone) pilot license and

purchasing a UAV. Small UAV quadcopters or hexacopters that can be equipped

with visual or RGB cameras are relatively inexpensive ($500 to more than $2,000).

Use of UAVs will help with damage assessment if accessing ﬁelds directly is

impossible or unsafe. For regulations and information about operating a UAV, see:

▬

U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Aviation Administration

Unmanned Aircraft Systems website

▬

University of Florida IFAS Extension Preﬂight and Flight Instructions on the

Use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for Agricultural Applications

Chemical safety

Take the necessary steps to prevent chemical spills from storage tanks containing

fuel, herbicides, pesticides, or other potentially dangerous liquids.

Basic emergency response skills

Train all members of your Emergency Response Team in the use of various types of

ﬁre extinguishers, ﬁrst aid, and CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation).

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

SECTION 2: Long-Term Operation Maintenance

section 2

Long-Term Operation Maintenance

Periodic checks of systems already in place

(described in the previous section)

Prior to hurricane season

Contact your local Extension ofﬁce and other State and Federal resources for

further information speciﬁc to your circumstances.

Annual review of emergency planning tasks

Farm Emergency Plan review and reassessment

●

Review your Farm Emergency Plan with your employees to ensure that they are

familiar with all elements. Make any necessary additions or updates.

●

Review your Emergency Contacts List with your employees and update it with

current names and contact information.

●

Review items provided in the “hurricane suggestion box,” and add them to your

Farm Emergency Plan or training list as relevant.

Employee training

●

Identify key tasks that employees will need to complete during hurricane

preparation and recovery operations.

●

Once each year, provide training for all employees that will participate in the key

tasks identiﬁed above.

Personal health and safety tasks

●

Make sure you and your employees have up-to-date tetanus shots.

●

For information and links to time-speciﬁc guidance for preparing yourself and

your home, see the Ready.gov Hurricanes website.

●

Download the FEMA Mobile App to learn emergency safety tips and receive real-

time weather alerts, important disaster planning reminders, information about

shelters and recovery centers, and more.

Recordkeeping, documentation, and insurance

●

Meet with your crop insurance and/or USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA)

representative to make sure you are signed up for eligible programs. Review

your insurance policies with your agent to be sure that you have adequate ﬂood

insurance and coverage for vehicles, farm buildings and structures, and crops.

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

SECTION 2: Long-Term Operation Maintenance

●

Keep records of harvest, equipment inventories, and purchases of supplies up

to date. Long-term records will help to establish a production baseline from

which losses can be determined. Be sure that copies of each are in a safe location

chosen in the Building a Resilient Operation section above.

Infrastructure

Buildings and facilities

Inspect all buildings and all facilities for structural soundness. Perform

maintenance on facilities and infrastructure to repair items such as loose rooﬁng

materials or improperly/inadequately grounded electrical equipment to reduce

hazard risk during a hurricane.

Drainage

●

Clean out culverts and ditches to improve drainage, both before and during the

peak hurricane season. Keep ditches clear through a good maintenance program

including chemical weed control. Regrade areas of the property that are prone to

ﬂooding to improve drainage.

●

Check any new construction areas, housing developments, or DOT projects

nearby to see whether they are affecting your land’s drainage. Determine where

the water is draining now, and address any new drainage needs before hurricane

season begins.

Maintenance of trees, windbreaks, and roads

●

Cut limbs and remove any low-hanging branches that could damage buildings

in a hurricane.

●

Maintain windbreaks with regular pruning, especially if they are close to aerial

power or telephone lines. To learn more about proper pruning practices, see:

▬

Inland Urban Forest Council A Practical Guide to Proper Pruning of Trees and

Shrubs

▬

OSHA Line-Clearance Tree Trimming Operations website

▬

University of Florida IFAS Extension Pruning Shade Trees in Landscapes

website

●

Evaluate roads for any repairs or improvements needed before a hurricane arrives

Harvest equipment

If possible, ensure that you have access to additional harvest equipment for

increasing harvest capacity, as this can reduce the time required to harvest

portions of your acreage under time-limited windows, such as when a hurricane is

approaching. The demand for this equipment will rapidly increase as the hurricane

approaches, so plan early for this contingency.

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

SECTION 2: Long-Term Operation Maintenance

Generators

●

During slow periods of the year, such as January, do routine annual maintenance

on backup generators and supplemental pumps to make sure they are in good

working condition. Replace old stored fuel with new, fresh fuel. Replace fuel

ﬁlters, test all generator circuits, and make sure you have all necessary supplies

on hand, including spare belts and fuel ﬁlters.

●

Ensure that all essential equipment functions when powered by the backup

generator.

Emergency equipment and supplies

●

Maintain an ample supply of emergency medical supplies and have raincoats

and boots available for employees.

●

Maintain a supply of drinking water and dry and canned food sufﬁcient for at

least 2 weeks for employees who become stranded at the farm or who need to

return to the farm before utility and emergency services are restored.

●

Maintain an ample supply of weather-prooﬁng supplies such as tarps and

sandbags; fencing supplies; plumbing supplies; lumber, construction tools, nails,

and ropes; portable lights; batteries; and battery-powered or hand-crank radios.

Soil samples

Collect soil samples from growing areas to establish a baseline for chemical or

heavy metal contamination. If ﬂooding does occur, soil samples are a useful tool

to determine when previously ﬂooded ﬁelds may be safe for replanting. A baseline

from previously collected samples will assist with pre-planting risk analysis to

determine if ﬂoodwaters may have introduced chemical hazards into the soil.

Monthly considerations during hurricane season

See Appendix: Resource Links for local Extension ofﬁces and other State and

Federal resources which you may consult for further information.

Weather monitoring

During the June to November hurricane season, pay regular attention to long-term

weather forecasts. Check your weather tracker daily if a hurricane is forecast to

move closer to your area.

Equipment and supplies

●

Check list of equipment and supplies for repairs that may be needed after the

hurricane.

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

SECTION 2: Long-Term Operation Maintenance

●

Note supplies that take longer to deliver and order early to ensure they are

available after a hurricane. Stockpile chemicals that are essential for your

operation.

●

Refresh emergency medical supplies, water, and dry and canned food supplies.

●

Obtain sufﬁcient quantities of plywood to protect windows and doors and store

in a dry area. As the hurricane gets closer, plywood may be scarce or unavailable.

Farm equipment

●

Make sure that sprayers, tractors, and harvest equipment are in good working

order to ensure that the crop can be harvested as efﬁciently as possible when

conditions allow.

●

Contact your equipment manufacturers to establish procedures for dealing

with damaged equipment. Make sure you won’t invalidate your warranty if you

attempt repairs yourself.

Fuel

Consider fuel needs for tractors, generators, and farm vehicles. During hurricane

season, maintain at least a 2-week fuel supply on the farm in elevated tanks

protected from ﬂooding. This could even be in trailer- or truck-mounted diesel

tanks. Any fuel stored onsite poses a contamination risk if storage tanks are not

adequately protected from ﬂooding, especially if stored at a low elevation. If secure

storage facilities are available onsite, arrange for fuel deliveries several days prior to

the expected hurricane impact.

Generators

Verify there is adequate fuel to power the generators for at least 2 weeks.

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

SECTION 3: Short-Term Preparedness

section 3

Short-Term Preparedness

Bracing for the hurricane: speciﬁc actions to be

done in the week before a hurricane arrives

1–7 days before a hurricane is forecast to strike

Hurricane season ofﬁcially begins on June 1 and ends on November 30. During

this time, the main rice crop will range in maturity from beginning reproductive

growth to main crop harvest. The later months of hurricane season will also cover

the ratoon crop in rice-producing areas along the Gulf Coast of Louisiana and

Texas. Potential rice crop yield and quality damage can vary depending on the

growth stage when the hurricane occurs.

Hurricane season spans the timeframe in which most Mississippi rice ﬁelds

are reaching physiological maturity and producers have begun harvesting rice.

Forecasts of hurricanes moving from the Gulf of Mexico inland typically leave

producers with a short timeframe to make preparatory decisions.

First and foremost, take whatever precautions necessary to protect your family,

your employees, and yourself. After that is accomplished, focus on protecting your

farm. Once forecasters have put your area in a hurricane’s path, there are a number

of precautions you should take to prepare.

Employees’ roles and responsibilities

●

Review your Farm Emergency Plan with all employees and discuss each person’s

responsibilities.

●

Continue to monitor hurricane track and strength updates. Listen closely for

evacuation orders in your area.

●

Determine whether individual employees plan to evacuate or stay during the

hurricane. For those who evacuate, establish a schedule for checking in after the

hurricane so that they know the extent of the damages and when it is safe to

return. For employees who stay, be sure they have safe lodging, sufﬁcient food

and water, and an established plan for checking in.

●

Ensure that all managers know their responsibilities prior to, during, and after the

hurricane. Handling the hurricane damage is too much work for one or two people.

●

Ensure that personnel have training in ﬁrst aid and key personnel know how to

operate emergency equipment they may be unfamiliar with (e.g., a chainsaw to

remove trees blocking roads).

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

SECTION 3: Short-Term Preparedness

Communications

●

Have all employee contact information listed and accessible for everyone to

obtain in order to maintain contact.

●

Ensure that all communication equipment is available and working properly.

Mobile devices are good for communication, but ensure radios are available and

working properly. Keep mobile devices fully charged. Have rechargeable battery

packs or charging cables for your vehicle to maintain communication. Texting

may be a more valuable form of communication than calling when the phone

networks may be overwhelmed.

Food, water, and cash

●

Make sure your operation still has at least a 2-week supply of drinking water as

well as dry and canned food.

●

Secure cash reserves for purchasing supplies after the hurricane. In widespread

power outages, credit and debit cards will not work, and many vendors do not

accept checks.

Recordkeeping, documentation, and insurance

●

Ensure that important documents are in a safe, dry place and that duplicates are

in alternative locations offsite.

●

Document the growth stage of all rice ﬁelds and estimate yield, as numerous,

high-quality, pre-hurricane photos and video (where helpful) will be useful for

insurance purposes and disaster recovery assistance. If crops are damaged or

lost, these records will help with the damage assessments and post-hurricane

claims. Check with your local Extension ofﬁce or crop advisor on the best way to

calculate a yield estimate for your crop.

●

Take multiple pictures of each ﬁeld using a digital camera or a drone/airplane,

and capture multiple angles. Take your time and cover all areas thoroughly.

●

If you have insurance through FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program, your

policy may cover up to $1,000 in loss-avoidance measures such as installing

sandbags and water pumps to protect insured property. Check with your

insurance provider to conﬁrm. Keep copies of all receipts and a record of the

time spent performing the work and submit these documents to your insurance

adjuster when you ﬁle a claim to be reimbursed.

Equipment

●

Ensure that all emergency equipment is ready (e.g., compressors and heavy

machinery).

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

SECTION 3: Short-Term Preparedness

●

Make sure chainsaws are in good working condition. Stock up on fuel mixture

and bar and chain oil. Sharpen the chain, keep the saw ﬁle and saw wrench close

at hand, and make sure you have a spare chain.

●

Start securing and relocating equipment, etc., to safety or higher ground. Move

equipment, portable fuel containers and pesticides to higher ground or place

them in a reinforced shelter.

●

Place any farm equipment with glass windows—such as tractors or combines—

in enclosed shelters to prevent glass from shattering due to ﬂying debris.

●

Move pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers to a secure place, on high ground

above any potential ﬂooding if possible.

●

Ensure that tanks containing fuel, fertilizer, and other liquids are kept full and

tied down.

●

Make sure that farm equipment you will need after the hurricane, such

as tractors with front-end loaders or skid-steer loaders, is fully fueled and

operational.

●

Unplug computers and other electronic equipment to protect from electrical

surges, and store these items safely.

Infrastructure

Backup generators

Be sure your backup generators are serviced according to the owner’s manual

to ensure everything is operating as needed, and make sure full fuel tanks and

portable fuel storage tanks are full. Your generators may have to run for several

days until the power company can restore electricity. Review the owner’s manual

for the maximum run time and other unit speciﬁcs.

Fuel

●

Make sure that you have at least a 2-week supply of diesel and gas. Be sure

the supplier understands how much you use daily and that it is necessary for

farm operations. If secure storage facilities are available onsite, arrange for fuel

deliveries several days prior to the expected hurricane impact. Consider fuel

needs for tractors, generators, and farm vehicles.

●

Service stations will not be able to supply fuel if they do not have electric power

for the pumps, so make sure portable fuel storage tanks are full.

●

Any fuel stored onsite poses a contamination risk if storage tanks cannot be

adequately protected from anticipated ﬂooding. Fuel tanks should be moved

to higher ground with the equipment and ﬁrmly secured to prevent them from

being blown or ﬂoating away. If severe ﬂooding is a possibility, empty all fuel

tanks and ﬁrmly secure them to prevent pollution or having tanks ﬂoat off.

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

SECTION 3: Short-Term Preparedness

Electricity and gas shut-off

Consult your Farm Emergency Plan and follow procedures for disconnecting

electrical power and gas to some or all buildings and any non-critical equipment in

danger of being ﬂooded.

Buildings and grounds

●

To secure building components:

▬

Check on the security of rooﬁng, siding materials, windows, and doors.

▬

Make sure all other building components are tied down securely.

▬

Disconnect power from buildings that could ﬂood.

●

Secure objects around your farm so that they don’t blow away or become

hazardous projectiles.

Roads

If the roads leading to the farm are likely to ﬂood, stage your boat in a secure, easy-

to-access location.

Drainage

●

Check drainage ditches and culverts around your facilities and remove any

debris.

●

Pump down all water from ditches to the maximum extent possible.

●

The decision of whether and how much to drain ﬁelds depends on the crop’s

stage of development. Grain that is more mature can withstand ﬂooding,

whereas less mature grain cannot. Any rice that is left in the ﬁeld past the

hard dough growth stage may even beneﬁt from ﬂoods because it may better

withstand the high winds, and anything past the hard dough stage can

withstand ﬂooding without subsequent yield loss. However, less mature grain

will not withstand high ﬂood levels, due to either the grain rotting in the ﬂood

or post-ﬂood disease development. Therefore, if grain is in the soft dough stage

or earlier, drain ﬁelds as low as possible if high levels of rainfall are predicted for

your area. There are many factors that determine the amount of water lowering

that should be done. Contact your local Extension agent for answers to questions

about your speciﬁc situation.

Supplies

Review inventories and order any additional supplies that can be delivered before

the hurricane.

Crop

Harvesting

●

If the crop has reached maturity, harvest the ﬁelds most vulnerable to ﬂooding

or restricted access, and/or the ﬁelds that are most mature.

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

SECTION 3: Short-Term Preparedness

●

Pull up ﬁeld maps and evaluate growth stages for each rice variety and ﬁeld to

determine whether harvest is feasible or not.

●

Apply harvest aids and harvest what you can prior to the hurricane. In a best

case scenario, ﬁelds with grain moisture ranging from 18 to 25 percent may

beneﬁt from a sodium chlorate application. This will allow producers to begin

harvesting approximately 4 days after application and harvest as much grain

as possible within the 7-day timeframe before the hurricane arrives. Sodium

chlorate should not be applied if you will be unable to complete harvest within

7 days after application, as this will cause a reduction in grain quality and yield

loss due to shattered kernels. Applying a desiccant, such as sodium chlorate, can

also reduce the amount of moisture in the stem of the plant. Moisture retention

in the stem of the rice plant provides turgor pressure, which acts as a backbone

for the plant, providing stability that will allow the rice to keep standing.

●

For additional guidance on harvesting rice before a hurricane arrives, contact

your local Extension ofﬁce.

1 day before the hurricane strikes

●

Perform a ﬁnal veriﬁcation of the hurricane track and strength. Listen closely for

evacuation orders for your area.

●

Obey all mandatory evacuation orders. Failure to do so can put you and your

workers at risk and could tie up rescue resources. Do not require your personnel

to be present on the farm either, since they also have to prepare themselves and

their families.

●

Make sure your employees have evacuated to secure areas at least 1 day prior to

hurricane impact. If some staff will remain onsite, conﬁrm that they have access

to structures on high ground or elevated slabs or pylons that can withstand

hurricane winds and rain, sufﬁcient stores of clean water and food, medical

supplies, working radios or cell phones, and sufﬁcient battery or generator

power. Those workers remaining onsite will likely need to rely on cell phone/

text communication with evacuated supervisors and colleagues, since local radio

and television communications often black out for several hours as a hurricane

passes. Local ﬁrst responders may also be out of communication at the time of

hurricane impact.

●

Personnel remaining onsite to monitor the farm until the last moment should

observe water levels in low-lying and problematic areas so they have sufﬁcient

time to exit the operation before levees and surrounding roads and highways are

blocked with ﬂoodwaters.

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

SECTION 4: Post-Hurricane Recovery

section 4

Post-Hurricane Recovery

Activities that can be taken to minimize losses immediately

after, a week after, and a month after a hurricane

Immediately after the hurricane has passed

Safety

●

Make safety your ﬁrst priority. Do not rush back into a facility until you are

sure it is safe. Note the integrity of buildings, power lines, trees, equipment, and

electrical and gas systems that may have been damaged during the hurricane.

Address all hazards to ensure safety before proceeding with recovery actions.

●

Continue to watch the weather forecast. Are waters still forecast to rise more

than they are now? Some ﬂoodwaters peak up to a week after the hurricane.

Electricity and gas

●

Avoid downed power lines, as these may still be live and present an electrocution

hazard. Operate on the assumption that all downed power lines are live.

●

When restoring electricity to buildings that have ﬂooded, use extreme caution

and consult with an electrician and your power provider. See the Alabama

Cooperative Extension System Restoring Electrical Service website.

●

Natural gas or liquid petroleum (LP) gas leaks can cause deadly explosions.

Check for natural gas or LP gas leaks, and if a leak is suspected, turn off the gas,

evacuate the area, and notify your gas company and local law enforcement. Tell

employees to stay clear.

Ground water

After a ﬂood event, ground water should be used with caution if contamination is

suspected anywhere in the general vicinity.

Roads and buildings

●

Before entering any buildings, check for levee breaches, rising or incoming

water, and evidence of structural ﬁre or damage.

●

As soon as it is safe, call in the employees needed for inspection and clearing

debris from roads. Cordon off areas that are unsafe.

Security

Watch your farm for unwelcome visitors like looters. Secure your equipment and

farm entrances, and make sure your security cameras are operational.

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

SECTION 4: Post-Hurricane Recovery

Recordkeeping, documentation, and insurance

●

Do not begin cleaning up or repairing damage until you have thoroughly

documented the damage. Contact your crop insurance adjuster as soon as

possible to decide on the best plan moving forward with potential damage to

your crop. (See “Within a week following hurricane impacts” below regarding

post-hurricane documentation.)

●

If you have experienced ﬂooding and have ﬂood insurance through the FEMA

National Flood Insurance Program, visit their How do I Start My Flood Claim?

website for information about starting a claim.

Decisions on harvesting and draining of ﬁelds

Rice grain at the soft dough growth stage or earlier that was submerged in

ﬂoodwaters over 2 days will not be suitable for human consumption due to the

grain rotting. Scout ﬁelds and document the severity of grain damage to determine

whether or not to harvest. A top priority should be draining off all ﬂooded ﬁelds in

which the rice grain can be harvested.

Within a week following hurricane impacts

Personal health and safety

Take care of yourself during recovery. Disasters and the recovery period afterward

take a toll on human health. Disaster recovery takes a long time and can be very

stressful. For guidance to help you through this difﬁcult time, see:

▬

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Disaster Mental Health

Resources website

▬

North Carolina Cooperative Extension Tips for Handling Family Stress After

Disasters

Communications

●

The local supply/seed stores are often natural sources of information if the

power is down and electronic communication is limited. In addition, radio

stations have generators that allow them to transmit if their towers are not

damaged.

●

Once the area is safe and accessible for everyone after the hurricane, you may

consider holding in-person meetings on an as-needed basis to inform and devise

future plans.

Recovery assistance

Before beginning cleanup, talk with your insurance company and consult with

disaster assistance program agents to learn about available programs, eligibility

requirements, and application procedures. (See “Disaster assistance” below for

more information about assistance programs.)

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

SECTION 4: Post-Hurricane Recovery

Documentation of damage

Many disaster assistance programs will become available after the disaster,

perhaps even years later, and an operation can only receive assistance for damage

that was documented. For instance, the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP),

administered by FSA, can provide funding and technical assistance to rehabilitate

farmland damaged by natural disasters. The work must be documented, and

farmers must receive authorization from their local USDA ofﬁce in advance.

Photos and video

●

In the aftermath of a hurricane, take detailed notes of ﬁelds damaged with

accompanying photographs of each ﬁeld demonstrating the losses. This may

be critically important later on. When inspecting ﬁelds, determine if a crop has

enough fruit remaining to save or to be terminated at this point.

●

Take photos or video ﬁrst before beginning any cleanup or repairs. Photograph

and take video of damaged crops and property, with written notes describing

what is in the pictures and where they were taken. This “after” documentation

will be used with your pre-hurricane, “before” documentation to clearly show

your losses.

Drones

If you own and have a license to operate a UAV (i.e., drone), utilize it now to take

aerial photographs of damage to your ﬁelds. Some local Extension ofﬁces might

have access to drones and personnel with a drone pilot license to assist you.

Written records

Keep a notebook with you throughout the recovery period. Describe the work you

did and record all expenses. Keep a running log of names and what was discussed

during conversations with insurance, State, and Federal agency contacts to create

a valuable, third-party record of your recovery efforts that can be used later as

documentation for disaster assistance programs. You may not remember everything

that was discussed at these meetings, so have a second person involved in the

conversations if possible so that one can ask questions and the other can take notes.

Disaster assistance

●

Communicate early and often with recovery assistance contacts. Check in with

them throughout the recovery process. Note that assistance will vary from one

hurricane to the next and one budget year to the next.

●

Call your local FSA Ofﬁce to report any losses or damages and inquire about

available assistance programs, application procedures, and deadlines.

●

Check in with your local Extension ofﬁce, USDA agencies, and your State

Department of Agriculture to see what assistance may be available following the

hurricane.

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

SECTION 4: Post-Hurricane Recovery

●

Consult the following resources:

▬

FEMA Disaster Recovery Center Locator and Individual Assistance website to

ﬁnd the closest recovery center and other resources to assist you during your

recovery

▬

USDA Disaster Resource Center website for updates on emergency designation

areas and available assistance programs

▬

Farmers.gov Protection and Recovery website, including the ﬁve-step Disaster

Assistance Discovery Tool to learn which USDA disaster assistance programs

are available to assist you with your recovery

▬

U.S. Department of Labor Disaster Unemployment Assistance website

●

To learn more about USDA Disaster Assistance Programs that may be right for

you, see:

▬

Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP)—FSA program that

provides assistance for eligible farmers who suffer losses or are prevented

from planting agricultural commodities that are not eligible for protection by

Federal crop insurance

▬

Emergency Farm Loans—FSA program that provides eligible farmers and

ranchers low-interest loans to help them recover from production and physical

losses

▬

Disaster Set-Aside Program—FSA program that allows eligible FSA borrowers

to skip an annual installment payment and move it to the end of the loan

repayment period

▬

Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Recovery Assistance—USDA Natural

Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) program that provides ﬁnancial and

technical assistance to quickly address serious and long-lasting damage to

infrastructure and land

▬

EWP Floodplain Easement Program (EWPP-FPE)—NRCS program option for

converting land to permanent easements for the purpose of improving ﬂood

plain management and reducing the threat to life and property

▬

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)—Year-round NRCS

rehabilitation program with funding authority to provide ﬁnancial assistance

to repair and prevent excessive soil erosion caused or impacted by natural

disasters

▬

Emergency Conservation Program (ECP)—FSA program with technical

assistance through NRCS that helps eligible farmers and ranchers repair

damage to farmlands caused by natural disasters

Insurance claims process

Begin the insurance claims process (Federal, private, or both). Accurate losses of

inventory and equipment may not be fully documented yet, but start the paperwork

now since insurance claims can take months to resolve following hurricane events.

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

SECTION 4: Post-Hurricane Recovery

Infrastructure assessment and repairs

●

Check all machinery to determine whether any equipment incurred damage by

the hurricane and create a prioritized list of needed repairs.

●

Check with your equipment manufacturer before starting any repairs since they

are unlikely to stand behind any future problems if the you attempt to ﬁx the

current problem yourself.

●

Gather quotes from qualiﬁed vendors to make repairs to facilities and

equipment. Vendors are often overwhelmed in the months following a

hurricane, so making contact soon after the hurricane is important for an

expedient response.

●

Contact your local grain terminals to determine whether or not they can be up

and running and will be accepting grain once harvest can resume.

●

Inspect all structures, including any personal grain bins, to be sure they were

not damaged during the hurricane.

●

Monitor fuel levels in backup generators and order additional fuel as needed.

Floodwater contamination

“Floodwater” refers to the overﬂow of external sources of water such as rivers

or canals and not to direct precipitation that may pool in or near your ﬁelds or

facilities.

Water supply

●

All water should be tested prior to use for drinking, cleaning food contact

surfaces or produce, or production activities. Ground water sources should

be submitted for microbial and chemical testing, regardless of whether the

wellhead was ﬂooded, to ensure that the aquifer was not contaminated and

to monitor wells for coliform contamination. This is particularly critical for

drinking water and water that will come into contact with food. Some growers

on municipal water systems, particularly those a substantial distance from the

distribution center, may be advised to submit a microbial water test (after boil

water advisories are no longer in effect) to verify the integrity of the distribution

line to their farm or operation. If a surface water source was ﬂooded, water

should undergo microbial and chemical testing prior to reuse for production

activities. If microbial levels exceed acceptable levels, a water treatment system

(e.g., ultraviolet [UV] light, peroxyacetic acid) may need to be used until

subsequent tests indicate the levels have stabilized.

●

Leave contaminated crops in the ﬁeld until that ﬁeld dries, and then disc it

under or burn it. Document any ﬁelds that cannot be harvested for insurance

purposes.

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

SECTION 4: Post-Hurricane Recovery

●

If you have a well, regardless of whether the wellhead was ﬂooded, submit

ground water samples for microbial and chemical testing to ensure that the

aquifer was not contaminated. Also monitor wells for coliform contamination.

Crops

Soil contamination

●

If ﬂoodwater entered your ﬁelds, consult with your State Department of

Agriculture, and industry and/or local Extension specialist for guidance on

how to proceed. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends

determining the source of ﬂoodwaters (and likelihood that they carried human

pathogens), letting ﬁelds dry before reworking, and testing for pathogens. Other

specialists suggest a 30- to 60-day wait period to reduce bacterial contamination

of soil. Chemical contamination may require a longer waiting period depending

on the chemical and the level of contamination.

●

Collect soil samples throughout the ﬂooded portion of your ﬁelds and test

them for known contaminants and general chemical contamination. For more

information about soil testing, see:

▬

Alabama Cooperative Extension System Submitting Samples for Soil Testing

website

▬

Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service Soil Testing website

▬

Louisiana State University AgCenter Soil Testing and Plant Analysis Lab

website

▬

Mississippi State Extension Service Soil Testing website

▬

North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Agronomic

Services - Soil Testing website

▬

University of Florida IFAS Extension Soil Testing website

▬

University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

Laboratory Services website

▬

Virginia Tech Soil Testing Lab website

●

See the FDA Guidance for Industry: Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety

Hazards for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables.

●

Take measures to avoid cross-contamination between ﬂooded and nonﬂooded

ﬁelds. Do not use equipment in a nonﬂooded ﬁeld that was used in a ﬂooded

ﬁeld unless it has been cleaned and sanitized.

●

Restrict access to the affected area by delimiting a 30-foot buffer zone between

the ﬂooded area and adjacent ﬁelds to make sure that no cross-contamination

happens to the non-ﬂooded ﬁelds.

●

Make sure that workers wear rubber boots and rubber or disposable gloves (not

fabric gloves) when working in ﬂooded ﬁelds. Discard disposable gloves after

using them.

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

SECTION 4: Post-Hurricane Recovery

Crops for human consumption

●

According to FDA regulations, if ﬂoodwater has contacted the edible portion of

the crop, it is prohibited from entering the human food supply. Keep it separate

from uncontaminated crops and dispose of it. This applies to surface crops;

underground crops; crops with a hard skin or shell; grain, nuts, corn, and similar

crops; and others. See the FDA:

▬

Guidance for Industry: Evaluating the Safety of Flood-affected Food Crops for

Human Consumption

▬

Safety of Food and Animal Food Crops Affected by Hurricanes, Flooding, and

Power Outages

●

If ﬂoodwater was nearby but did not contact the edible portion of the crop,

work with State regulators and FDA ofﬁces to determine whether the crop is

considered adulterated.

Crops for animal consumption

If your crop was intended for animal food, see the FDA:

▬

Crops Harvested from Flooded Fields Intended for Animal Food: Questions

and Answers

▬

Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) Updates website and scroll through the

updates for resources to help animal food producers affected by hurricanes

Equipment

Thoroughly clean and sanitize all food contact equipment and food handling

environments that may have become contaminated during the hurricane. First,

physically remove dirt or debris with a brush or with water and detergent. Then,

sanitize with an antimicrobial chemical to reduce microorganisms on the surface of

the equipment.

Crop

Harvesting assessment/decisions

●

Determine what can be salvaged and whether or not to harvest certain ﬁelds.

●

Consult with crop insurance adjusters to determine what they will cover as far as

grain quality.

●

Contact your local Extension agent/specialist or crop consultant for second

opinions if needed to determine the severity of damage.

●

All ﬁelds should be evaluated for hurricane damage. Harvest least damaged

ﬁelds that will not have an insurance claim ﬁrst to maximize yield potential.

Fields with potential insurance claims should not be harvested until after

consulting with your insurance company. After receiving guidance from your

insurance company, harvest ﬁelds with the greatest yield potential ﬁrst.

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

SECTION 4: Post-Hurricane Recovery

Fungicide application

Fungicides should be used on undamaged rice according to State agronomic

recommendations at the normal recommended timings when warranted. Contact

your crop insurance company prior to applying any agricultural chemicals to a

damaged rice crop. Fungicide applications to damaged rice may not be warranted.

Contact your local Extension agent/specialist and crop consultant to determine if

applications are economically viable.

Diseases, pests, and weeds

●

Diseases may develop on the rice panicles that have been submerged in the

ﬂoodwater for prolonged periods of time.

●

If your ﬁelds have been ﬂooded with off-farm water sources, be aware of weed

seeds that have not traditionally been a problem on your farm but could have

been carried in, and be aware of the management implications from this in

subsequent seasons.

Potential salt damage

●

Higher soil salt levels can accompany hurricane surges and cause severe damage

and dieback to your crops. Rice is classiﬁed as sensitive to saltwater, and yields

will decrease with elevated salt levels.

●

Soil tests should be taken to determine the extent of the potential salt

contamination. Your State soil testing laboratory should provide analysis that

determines the Total Soluble Salts (TSS) content and the Sodium Absorption

Ratio (SAR) of your soil. These test results can provide estimates of potential salt

damage to current and future rice crops.

●

If surface water is being used to irrigate rice, the salinity content of that water

should be determined prior to its use for irrigation.

●

Contact your local Extension ofﬁce if you suspect your crops have been damaged

by saltwater.

Within a month after hurricane impacts

Recovery assistance and insurance claims

●

After many natural disasters that result in widespread damage, additional

programs often become available to aid with agricultural losses. These programs

are not guaranteed, however, and are generally handled on a case-by-case basis

depending on the hurricane’s impact. In addition, some programs require

additional processing time for a special appropriation from the U.S. Congress

and Presidential approval.

●

While a special allocation may not be immediately available, it is important to

document losses and to illustrate to your legislators the impact of the hurricane

on your operation. This information will help promote policy decisions and

additional allocations that may become available.

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

SECTION 4: Post-Hurricane Recovery

●

Continue to follow up on the insurance claims process. Begin ﬁling for any

additional State or Federal disaster assistance programs for hurricane recovery.

●

See the USDA Disaster Resource Center website for updated information about

FEMA aid and other disaster programs.

●

Continue to document everything and keep a record of conversations with

agency contacts. This creates a valuable, third-party record of your recovery

efforts that may be used later as documentation for assistance programs.

Organic certiﬁcation

If your farm is organic, it is important to consider how the hurricane impacts may

affect your certiﬁcation. Temporary variances from some organic practices are

possible, so contact your certiﬁer to determine whether your practices qualify. It is

most important to report prohibited substances that may have inﬁltrated your farm

during the hurricane.

Infrastructure and equipment

●

Continue to gather quotes from qualiﬁed vendors to make repairs to facilities

and equipment. Vendors are often overwhelmed in the months following a

hurricane, so making contact soon after the hurricane is important for an

expedient response.

●

Monitor buildings for water damage or mold development, and monitor wells for

coliform bacteria.

●

Continue to reﬁll fuel tanks and check backup generators until full power is

restored.

●

Perform general and preventative maintenance on any equipment that was

ﬂooded. Keep all receipts for parts and labor as well as a list of any equipment

that is determined to be a total loss.

●

Examine drainage ditches and canals to determine to what extent they were

silted in by ﬂoodwaters and need repair and cleaning of debris. Clean and/or

repair drainage ditches onsite.

Crop concerns

●

Any ﬁelds where damage to the grain may have occurred yet are still able to be

harvested should be prioritized from the worst to the best condition to ensure

minimal proﬁt losses.

●

Flooded ﬁelds cannot be harvested, but the land could potentially be temporarily

leased to hunters.

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

APPENDIX: Farm Emergency Plan

APPENDIX

Farm Emergency Plan

Hurricane preparedness can have a direct effect on your farm’s proﬁtability and

long-term survival. For agricultural operations in hurricane-vulnerable regions,

it is critical to have a Farm Emergency Plan in place outlining key tasks and

different people’s roles and responsibilities as you brace for the hurricane. Your

Farm Emergency Plan can save valuable time in a chaotic situation when multiple

challenges clamor for immediate attention, helping you prioritize your actions and

recover from the hurricane as efﬁciently as possible.

Use this sample plan to customize for your operation. Preparation for these tasks—

putting the systems in place—is described in the main guide (see “Emergency

planning” in the Building a Resilient Operation section). Though there is some

overlap with the tasks listed in the Short-Term Preparedness section, this sample

plan is intended to be a document you can use during an actual emergency.

Before the hurricane

Tracking the hurricane

Use your hurricane tracking app. The NOAA National Hurricane Center website is

a good source for keeping up to date on the latest hurricane activities. Learn more

about emergency alerts at the Ready.gov Emergency Alerts website.

Emergency Response Team

●

Gather the members of your farm’s Emergency Response Team, who have been

thoroughly trained in their respective tasks and are knowledgeable about the

hazards found on the farm.

●

Review the chain of command and individuals’ primary and secondary roles

and responsibilities.

●

Discuss modes of communication as well as alternatives in case any

communication channels become unusable during or after the hurricane.

●

Review your farm’s Emergency Contacts List.

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

APPENDIX: Farm Emergency Plan

Employees’ status and location

Review procedures to account for all employees after an emergency evacuation.

Determine who will evacuate and who (if anyone) will stay during the hurricane.

For those who evacuate, establish a schedule for checking in after the hurricane. For

those who stay, be sure they have safe lodging and sufﬁcient food and water and

establish a clear plan for them to check in.

Maps and emergency escape routes

Using the map of your farm with all buildings and contents, review emergency

escape routes and hurricane preparation procedures for each building, facility, and

area of the operation.

Emergency equipment and supplies

Locate the following equipment and supplies:

▬

Emergency medical supplies

▬

Raincoats and boots

▬

Weather-prooﬁng supplies such as tarps and sandbags

▬

Fencing supplies

▬

Plumbing supplies

▬

Lumber, construction tools, nails, and ropes

▬

Portable lights, batteries, and battery-powered or hand-crank radios

Food, water, and cash

●

Make sure there is a 2-week supply of dry and canned food and drinking water

(at least ½ gallon per person per day) stored onsite if personnel will be staying

onsite.

●

Secure cash reserves to use for purchasing supplies after the hurricane.

Facility security

●

Ensure that important documents are in a safe, dry place.

●

Check on the security of rooﬁng and siding materials and windows and doors,

and make sure all other building components are tied down securely.

●

Secure outside objects around your farm, so that they don’t blow away or

become hazardous projectiles.

●

Protect greenhouses (if applicable).

●

Check drainage ditches and culverts around your facilities for debris.

●

Pump down all water from ditches.

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

APPENDIX: Farm Emergency Plan

Equipment

●

Ensure that all emergency equipment is ready (chainsaws, compressors, heavy

machinery, etc.).

●

Move all non-critical farm equipment to secure locations or higher elevations.

●

Move pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers to a secure place, on high ground if

possible.

●

Make sure that farm equipment you will need after the hurricane, such as

tractors with front-end loaders or skid-steer loaders, is fully fueled.

●

Be sure your backup generators are fully operational. Fill the fuel tanks and

portable fuel storage tanks.

Fuel

●

Make sure you have a minimum of a 2-week supply of diesel and gas. Be sure

the supplier understands how much you use daily and that it is necessary for

farm operations. If secure storage facilities are available onsite, arrange for fuel

deliveries several days prior to the expected hurricane impact. Consider fuel

needs for tractors, generators, and farm vehicles.

●

Any fuel stored onsite poses a contamination risk if storage tanks cannot be

adequately protected from anticipated ﬂooding. Move to higher ground or secure

in place.

●

Since fuel may be unavailable if service stations have no power, make sure

portable fuel storage tanks are full.

●

Ensure that tanks containing fuel, fertilizer, and other liquids are kept full and

are tied down.

Backup generators

●

Retrieve backup generators and fuel and place them where needed.

●

Connect generators to critical electrical loads as outlined in your Backup Power

Plan.

Electricity and gas shutdown

[Outline the shutdown procedures for electricity and gas, according to instructions

you are given by your utilities and other experts.]

[Outline the shutdown procedures for speciﬁc equipment.]

Service or equipment

to be shut down Procedures for shutdown

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

APPENDIX: Farm Emergency Plan

Crop

●

Harvest all mature rice ﬁelds prior to hurricane impact.

●

Pre-harvest desiccants like sodium chlorate can be used to reduce grain moisture

and speed harvest. Do not desiccate ﬁelds that cannot be harvested before

hurricane arrival.

●

Take photos and video to document all non-harvested crops and estimate yield

potential.

●

Keep documentation in a secure location.

Immediately after the hurricane

Safety

●

Make safety your ﬁrst priority. Do not rush back into a facility until you are

sure it is safe. Use extreme caution due to the potentially injurious situations

presented by weakened trees and damaged structures, equipment, and electrical

and gas systems.

●

Continue to watch the weather forecast. Are waters still forecast to rise more

than they are now? Some ﬂoodwaters peak up to a week after the hurricane.

Electricity and gas

●

Avoid downed power lines as these may still be live and present an electrocution

hazard. Operate on the assumption that all downed power lines are live.

Remember that a downed power line on a fence may energize the fence.

●

When restoring electricity to buildings that have ﬂooded, use extreme caution

and consult with an electrician and your power provider. See the Alabama

Cooperative Extension System Restoring Electrical Service website.

●

Natural gas or liquid petroleum (LP) gas leaks can cause deadly explosions.

Check for natural gas or LP gas leaks, and if a leak is suspected, turn off the

main property gas line, evacuate the area, and notify your gas company and the

authorities. Tell employees to stay clear.

Roads and buildings

●

Before entering any buildings, check for levee breaches, rising or incoming

water, and evidence of structural ﬁre or damage.

●

As soon as it is safe, call in the employees needed for inspection and clearing

debris from roads.

●

Cordon off areas that are unsafe.

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

APPENDIX: Farm Emergency Plan

Security

Watch your farm for unwelcome visitors like looters. Secure your equipment and

farm entrances, and make sure your security cameras are operational.

Insurance and documentation

●

Do not begin cleaning up or repairing damage until you have thoroughly

documented the damage. Contact your crop insurance adjuster as soon as

possible to decide on the best plan for moving forward with potential damage

assessment, cleanup, and repair.

●

If you have experienced ﬂooding and have ﬂood insurance through the FEMA

National Flood Insurance Program, see their How do I Start My Flood Claim?

website for information about starting a claim.

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

APPENDIX: Emergency Contacts List

Emergency Contacts List

You may customize this for your operation. Delete items

that do not pertain to your commodity or location and add

companies or organizations speciﬁc to your commodity.

Individuals

Name(s) Role(s) Phone number(s) Notes

Owner(s)

Members of the

Emergency Response

Team

Other key employees

or managers

Emergency Services

Organization Name(s) Phone number(s) Notes

Emergency medical

responders

Hospitals

Fire department

Law enforcement

Emergency

management agency

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

APPENDIX: Emergency Contacts List

Utilities, Roads, and Trees

Organization Name(s) Phone number(s) Notes

Electric utility or

cooperative

Natural gas utility

Water utility

County road

department or State

Department of

Transportation

Insurance Companies

Organization Name(s) Phone number(s) Notes

Commodity insurance

companies

Contractors and Suppliers

Organization Name(s) Phone number(s) Notes

Electrical contractor

Plumbing contractor

Mechanic

Fuel supplier

Generator servicing

Equipment dealer

Equipment rental

company (emergency

generators, lifts, etc.)

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

APPENDIX: Emergency Contacts List

Federal, State, and County Organizations

Organization Names(s) Phone number(s) Notes

State Department of

Agriculture

Local Extension ofﬁce

County emergency

management agency

County Health

Department

USDA Farm Service

Agency

USDA Natural

Resources

Conservation Service

(NRCS)

U.S. DHS Federal

Emergency

Management Agency

(FEMA)

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

APPENDIX: Initial Site Planning

Initial Site Planning

Considerations when deciding on a new location

to establish or purchase farmland

Hurricane risk

No model or long-term forecast can determine when and where hurricanes will

strike during any given hurricane season; however, return period maps have

been developed to give a good indication of relative hurricane risk. Return period

maps display the number of years between hurricane events and help quantify

the vulnerability of coastal areas to hurricanes. To learn more about your area’s

hurricane return period, see the NOAA What are the chances a hurricane will hit

my home? website.

It is important to remember that return period maps represent a long-term average

and that even if the average return period for a hurricane is 25 years, hurricanes

can still occur at one spot on successive years or even in the same year. It is

also important to understand that while most data show only where hurricanes

have made landfall, hurricanes can also move hundreds of miles inland causing

signiﬁcant wind damage and ﬂooding.

Use NOAA’s Historical Hurricane Tracks tool for a map and dates of hurricanes

that have impacted your area in the past 150 years. The timing and track of historic

hurricanes may be different than those for future hurricanes and should be used

with caution.

Site characteristics

Topography

●

When planning for long-term preparedness, evaluate a potential site for your

operations with an eye toward reducing the risk of surface ﬂooding or coastal

storm surge. It is unlikely that all risks can be avoided. However, the negative

considerations of an elevated open site are often less than those of low-lying

areas susceptible to ﬂooding.

●

If possible, choose a site that has higher elevation areas so that farm equipment

can be easily moved to avoid ﬂooding.

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

APPENDIX: Initial Site Planning

Flood risk and storm surge

●

Assess historic and predictable patterns of ﬂooding to determine which areas are

at the highest risk of damage during extreme weather.

●

Consult the following Federal and State resources for estimating ﬂood risk:

▬

FEMA Flood Map Service Center website (for ofﬁcial ﬂood maps)

▬

Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs Flood Map website

▬

Florida residents should contact their county government

▬

Georgia Department of Natural Resources Flood Map Program website

▬

Louisiana State University AgCenter FloodMaps Portal website

▬

Mississippi Emergency Management Agency Floodplain Management website

▬

North Carolina Flood Risk Information System website

▬

South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Flood Mitigation Program

website

▬

Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation Flood Risk Information

System website

●

In some areas, storm surge can cause ﬂooding many miles inland from the coast.

View the NOAA National Storm Surge Hazard Map to assess your risk and plan a

safe evacuation route.

Roads and utilities

●

Choose a site with good roads that will allow multiple escape routes when

evacuating from hurricanes and tropical storms that can cause rising

ﬂoodwaters, storm surge, or downed trees.

●

Plan to have utilities and other critical infrastructure permanently constructed

on higher ground to avoid equipment and infrastructure damage during

ﬂooding.

●

Search for areas with resilient electrical grids. Avoid relatively isolated sites with

limited access to electrical utilities.

Natural windbreaks

If possible, choose a site with natural windbreaks, such as wooded areas

surrounding the ﬁeld.

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

APPENDIX: Resource Links

Resource Links

Extension, State, and Federal websites

Alabama

Extension Websites Purpose

Extension Ofﬁce Locator* Contact information for Extension agents in your

county

Disaster* Resources to help prepare for and recover from

hurricanes and other disasters

Extension Disaster Education Network

(EDEN)

Information and program resources to help with

hurricane preparedness and recovery

*Alabama Cooperative Extension System

State Websites Purpose

Alabama Governor’s Ofﬁce News and information from the Governor, including

evacuation orders and emergency declarations

Alabama Department of Agriculture and

Industries

Main source for answers to your agriculture-related

questions

Alabama Emergency Management

Agency

News and resources to help you prepare for, respond

to, and recover from emergencies, including

hurricanes

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

APPENDIX: Resource Links

Florida

Extension Websites Purpose

Rice* Resources to help farmers improve rice management

and productivity

Extension Ofﬁce Locator* Contact information for Extension agents in your

county

Disaster Preparation and Recovery* Resources to help prepare for and recover from

hurricanes and other disasters

Extension Disaster Education Network

(EDEN)

Information and program resources to help with

hurricane preparedness and recovery

*University of Florida IFAS Extension

State Websites Purpose

Florida Governor’s Ofﬁce News and information from the Governor, including

evacuation orders and emergency declarations

Florida Department of Agriculture and

Consumer Services

Main source for answers to your agriculture-related

questions

Florida Division of Emergency

Management

News and resources to help you prepare for, respond

to, and recover from emergencies, including

hurricanes

Florida Emergency Response Team Disaster assistance resources for residents

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

APPENDIX: Resource Links

Georgia

Extension Websites Purpose

Extension Ofﬁce Locator* Contact information for Extension agents in your

county

Emergency Resources* Resources to help prepare for and recover from

hurricanes and other disasters

Extension Disaster Education Network

(EDEN)

Information and program resources to help with

hurricane preparedness and recovery

*University of Georgia Cooperative Extension

State Websites Purpose

Georgia Governor’s Ofﬁce News and information from the Governor, including

evacuation orders and emergency declarations

Georgia Department of Agriculture Main source for answers to your agriculture-related

questions

Georgia Emergecy Management and

Homeland Security Agency

Disaster assistance resources for residents

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

APPENDIX: Resource Links

Louisiana

Extension Websites Purpose

Rice* Resources to help farmers improve rice management

and productivity

Extension Ofﬁce Locator* Contact information for Extension agents in your

parish

Disaster Information* Resources to help prepare for and recover from

hurricanes and other disasters

Extension Disaster Education Network

(EDEN)

Information and program resources to help with

hurricane preparedness and recovery

*Louisiana State University AgCenter

State Websites Purpose

Louisiana Governor’s Ofﬁce News and information from the Governor, including

evacuation orders and emergency declarations

Louisiana Department of Agriculture and

Forestry

Main source for answers to your agriculture-related

questions

Louisiana Governor’s Ofﬁce of Homeland

Security and Emergency Preparedness

News and resources to help you prepare for, respond

to, and recover from emergencies, including

hurricanes

Emergency Louisiana Disaster assistance resources for residents

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

APPENDIX: Resource Links

Mississippi

Extension Websites Purpose

Rice* Resources to help farmers improve rice management

and productivity

Extension Ofﬁce Locator* Contact information for Extension agents in your

county

Disaster Preparedness* Resources to help prepare for and recover from

hurricanes and other disasters

Extension Disaster Education Network

(EDEN)

Information and program resources to help with

hurricane preparedness and recovery

*Mississippi State University Extension Service

State Websites Purpose

Mississippi Governor’s Ofﬁce News and information from the Governor, including

evacuation orders and emergency declarations

Mississippi Department of Agriculture

and Commerce

Main source for answers to your agriculture-related

questions

Mississippi Emergency Management

Agency

News and resources to help you prepare for, respond

to, and recover from emergencies, including

hurricanes

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

APPENDIX: Resource Links

North Carolina

Extension Websites Purpose

Extension Ofﬁce Locator* Contact information for Extension agents in your

county

Disaster Preparedness and Recovery* Resources to help prepare for and recover from

hurricanes and other disasters

Extension Disaster Education Network

(EDEN)

Information and program resources to help with

hurricane preparedness and recovery

*North Carolina Cooperative Extension

State Websites Purpose

North Carolina Governor’s Ofﬁce News and information from the Governor, including

evacuation orders and emergency declarations

North Carolina Department of

Agriculture and Consumer Services

Main source for answers to your agriculture-related

questions

North Carolina Department of Public

Safety Emergency Management

News and resources to help you prepare for, respond

to, and recover from emergencies, including

hurricanes

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

APPENDIX: Resource Links

South Carolina

Extension Websites Purpose

Extension Ofﬁce Locator* Contact information for Extension agents in your

county

Emergency Preparedness and Post

Hurricane Impact Resources*

Resources to help prepare for and recover from

hurricanes and other disasters

Extension Disaster Education Network

(EDEN)

Information and program resources to help with

hurricane preparedness and recovery

*Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service

State Websites Purpose

South Carolina Governor’s Ofﬁce News and information from the Governor, including

evacuation orders and emergency declarations

South Carolina Department of

Agriculture

Main source for answers to your agriculture-related

questions

South Carolina Emergency Management

Division

News and resources to help you prepare for, respond

to, and recover from emergencies, including

hurricanes

Team South Carolina Emergency

Response

Disaster assistance resources for residents

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

APPENDIX: Resource Links

Virginia

Extension Websites Purpose

Extension Ofﬁce Locator* Contact information for Extension agents in your

county

Disaster Education Network* Resources to help prepare for and recover from

hurricanes and other disasters

Extension Disaster Education Network

(EDEN)

Information and program resources to help with

hurricane preparedness and recovery

*Virginia Cooperative Extension

State Websites Purpose

Virginia Governor’s Ofﬁce News and information from the Governor, including

evacuation orders and emergency declarations

Virginia Department of Agriculture and

Consumer Services

Main source for answers to your agriculture-related

questions

Virginia Department of Emergency

Management

News and resources to help you prepare for, respond

to, and recover from emergencies, including

hurricanes

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

APPENDIX: Resource Links

State (FSA and NRCS)

State FSA Websites Purpose

USDA FSA Alabama

Focus on State FSA resources, including ﬁnancial

and technical information sharing

USDA FSA Florida

USDA FSA Georgia

USDA FSA Louisiana

USDA FSA Mississippi

USDA FSA North Carolina

USDA FSA South Carolina

USDA FSA Virginia

State NRCS Websites Purpose

USDA NRCS Alabama

Focus on State NRCS resources, including ﬁnancial

and technical information sharing

USDA NRCS Florida

USDA NRCS Georgia

USDA NRCS Louisiana

USDA NRCS Mississippi

USDA NRCS North Carolina

USDA NRCS South Carolina

USDA NRCS Virginia

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery in the Southeast: Rice Producers Guide

APPENDIX: Resource Links

Federal

Federal Websites Purpose

Ready.gov Hurricanes Resources to help individuals prepare for and recover

from hurricanes

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) News and announcements related to agricultural

commodities and disaster recovery programs

USDA Disaster Resource Center Resources to help you build long-term resilience to

and recover from hurricanes and other disasters

USDA Ofﬁce Locator Contact information for USDA ofﬁces in your

county, including FSA, NRCS, Rural Development,

and Conservation Districts

USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Assistance with securing loans, receiving payments,

and applying for disaster relief programs

USDA Natural Resources

Conservation Service (NRCS)

Financial and technical assistance for farmers,

ranchers, and forest landowners

USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) Assistance with Federal crop insurance and

managing risk

USDA RMA Agent Locator Contact information for local RMA ofﬁces in your

county

U.S. Department of Commerce

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration (NOAA)

Resources to see historical, current, and predicted

hurricane activity and warnings in your area

NOAA National Hurricane Center Current and forecasted tropical cyclone activity,

educational resources, and advisory warnings for

your area of interest

NOAA National Weather Service

Weather-Ready Nation

Latest news, information, and technology to enable

informed decision making before, during, and after

a hurricane strikes

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Federal Emergency Management Agency

(FEMA)

News and information to help you prepare for and

recover from hurricanes and other disasters

Golden, Bobby; Harrell, Dustin; Mansour, Jeffrey. 2021. Rice producers

guide. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-260p. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of

Agriculture Forest Service, Southern Research Station. 48 p.

https://doi.org/10.2737/SRS-GTR-260p. (McNulty, Steven;

Gavazzi, Michael, eds. Hurricane preparation and recovery in the

Southeastern United States).

This is 1 of 23 guides to help Southeastern U.S. producers of

economically important agricultural commodities build resilience

to, prepare for, and recover from hurricane impacts. All guides can be

found on the USDA Southeast Climate Hub Hurricane Preparation and

Recovery Commodity Guides website.

https://www.climatehubs.usda.gov/hubs/southeast/

To access this guide, as well as those produced

for other commodities, please visit:

https://www.climatehubs.usda.gov/hubs/southeast/topics/

Southeast Climate Hub

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S.

Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations

and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, ofﬁces, and employees,

and institutions participating in or administering USDA

programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race,

color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender

expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/

parental status, income derived from a public assistance program,

political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity,

in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases

apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint ﬁling deadlines vary by

program or incident.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of

communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print,

audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the

responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice

and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800)

877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in

languages other than English.

To ﬁle a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA

Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at

http://www. ascr.usda.gov/complaint_ﬁling_cust.html and at any

USDA ofﬁce or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the

letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of

the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form

or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ofﬁce

of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue,

SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email:

progra[email protected].

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.