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Farmers dealing with losses from hurricane

Wilson County farmer Gerald Tyner said right now his land is what can only be described as a big mess.
During Hurricane Matthew’s heavy rainfall and strong winds Saturday, Tyner’s farm shop experienced extensive flooding, damaging a lot of his equipment.  "There was a tractor in there,” Tyner said. “Generator, irrigation pumps — we’re still trying to see what, if anything, can be salvaged.”  His equipment was not the only thing devastated in the storm this weekend. He said much of his soybean and peanut crop is still under water.  “We don’t know how long it will be before we can get into the fields,” Tyner said. “The ground is still heavily saturated so crops like sweet potatoes and peanuts could rot in the ground before we get to them.”
He said he was fortunate to have already harvested his sweet potato crop before the flood waters arrived Saturday.  Many farmers are seeing destruction similar to Tyner’s all over eastern North Carolina. On Sunday, the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services activated a toll-free hotline to connect farmers with resources that can assist with Hurricane Matthew recovery.

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The Wilson Times
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