A result of uncertain natural growth processes of crops and livestock. Weather, disease, pests, and other factors affect both the quantity and quality of commodities produced.

• Risky Business Webinar Series – Appalachian Sustainable Development
• Conservation Incentives for Farmers – Virginia Sustainable Farms and Agribusiness Education Initiative
• Cost of Converting to No-till – Southwest K-State Research and Extension
• Diversifying Cropping Systems – Sustainable Agriculture Network 

Created by the variability of prices producers receive for their production, the access they have to markets for their products, and the prices and the availability of inputs.

• Farmers’ Market SNAP Fruit & Vegetable Incentives: Improving Customer Health and Vendor Wealth – Virginia Sustainable Farms and Agribusiness Education Initiative
• Components of a Food Business Plan – Virginia Cooperative Extension
• Considerations for Marketing Value Added Products – Center for Profitable Ag
• Exploring Value Added, Direct Marketing, and Agritourism Opportunities for your Farm – UT Extension

Occurs due to the capital-intensive nature of farming and ranching businesses. Volatility of prices, yields and income impact the debt-repayment ability and a business’s cash liquidity. Changing interest rates, credit rules, and the availability of credit are also aspects of financial risk. Financial risk is often intensified by the lack of detailed financial analysis and planning.

• Introduction to Basic Farm Financial Statements: Income Statement – UT Extension

• Introduction to Basic Farm Financial Statements: Balance Sheet – UT Extension

• Customers, Tracking Income, Cash Sales Receipts, Invoices, and Deposits – UT Extension

Generated by uncertainties surrounding and resulting from government policies and regulations related to tax laws, food safety, labeling and marketing, protected species, water use, animal health and welfare, chemical use, animal waste, other environmental issues such as clean air and water, government commodity and income support programs, and the legal liabilities of a variety of litigious issues faced by farms and ranches.

• Basic Estate Planning 2021 – Alabama Cooperative Extension
• Farm Succession Fact Sheet: Land Access, Acquisition, and Transfer – Alabama A&M University

Refers to human relationships that impact the viability of farm and ranch businesses including communication, labor management and supply, business succession and intergenerational transfer of assets and management, estate planning, and human health and relationship issues including accidents, illness, disability, death and divorce.

• Communicating During Stressful Times: Mental Health Issues for Farmers, their Families, and their Communities – Oklahoma State University
• Farmer Financial Health and Wellbeing Assessment: A Tool for Fostering Supportive Financial Conversations – Virginia Cooperative Extension
• Food Insecurity & Hunger in Virginia – Virginia Cooperative Extension
• Four Steps to Crisis Communication – Mississippi State University
• Managing Financial Risk for a Healthy Farm and a Healthy Farm Family – Virginia Cooperative Extension

Emergencies can happen any time, and at an infinite varieties of scale. To help ease the journey through troubling times, ASD is  focused on connecting our regional farmers with emergency resources. The emergency resources have been compiled as a result of a variety of recent events, from Hurrricane Helene to the loss of grant funds to farmers. Not all resources may still be available.

If you are aware of a resource that’s not listed here, or one that’s listed but no longer available, please email dbrowning@asdevelop.org to update the page.

business-based resources

• The Appalachian Herb Collective (AHC) is a Herbal Re-leaf effort created in response to the devastation of Hurricane Helene. This grassroots effort was formed by local Herbalists to provide Free Herbal Clinics and Mutual Aid Hubs in affected communities of Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee.

Federal and National Support Resources

• American Farmland Trust – Emergency Resilience Grant
• USDA Disaster Assistance Programs At-A-Glance Brochure
• Small Business Administration (SBA) – Disaster loans
• USDA NRCS Emergency Watershed Protection Program
• Farmers.gov – Hurricane Recovery Resources
• USDA Farm Services Agency – Disaster Assistance Programs
• Farm Aid Online Assistance Request Form and the Farm Aid Hotline at 1-800-FARM AID (800-327-6243) as well as the Farmer Resource Network, which is an online database of farmer support resources of all types. Plus, they have a Disaster Resource Guide with step-by-step advice, supported by links to relevant agencies.
• DisasterAssistance.gov – Emergency Farm Loans
• USDA Tree Assistance Program – Financial Assistance for Orchardists and Nursery Tree Growers
• USDA Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-raised Fish (ELAP)
• Emergency Conservation Program and Emergency Forest Restoration Program – to help landowners and forest stewards with financial and technical assistance to restore damaged farmland or forests
• D-SNAP – The Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP), also known as disaster food stamps, helps you pay for food if you live in a state with an Individual Assistance declaration from the president. D-SNAP provides funds on an electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card to pay for food. Even if you do not normally receive or qualify for food assistance through SNAP benefits, you may qualify for D-SNAP.
• FEMA – General Info in English and in Spanish
• Appalachian Voices – Hurricane Recovery Resources
• Rafi Disaster Recovery for Farmers – If you need to speak with someone immediately, please call the Farmer Hotline toll-free at (866)-586-6746. The hotline is open Monday-Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
• Farm Raise – Hurricane Recovery Resources
• USDA Farm Loan Assitance – can help you determine program or loan options. 

State resources

Florida

• University of Florida Extension Assessment Survey

Georgia

• University of Georgia Extension: Dealing with Pasture, Hay, Feed and Livestock Losses
• Georgia Organics Emergency Farmer Fund

North and South Carolina

• North Carolina Department of Agriculture – Emergency Programs
• North Carolina Livestock Assistance Form – if you need help (or can offer help) in moving livestock
• North Carolina Day One Relief – supporting BIPOC and LBGTQ+ organizations that need assistance after Hurricane Helene
• Carolina Farm Stewardship Running Resource & Relief List for Hurricane Helene

Tennessee

• University of Tennessee Extension Resources for Disaster Recovery
• ARC&D Resilient Farmer Fund – This link goes to a form to donation to the Resilient Farmer Fund, which is specifically to help small farmers and food producers in NE Tennessee. To apply for funding assistance from the Resilient Farmer Fund, contact Bethany Gray at bethany@arcd.org, or Rosie McVeigh at rosie@arcd.org.

Virginia

• Virginia Cooperative Extension – District Offices and Local Contacts. Local Extension Agents are taking damage reports to submit to FEMA through their Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices. A link to their survey form is here. Plus, VCE has compiled their own comprehensive list of resources, find it here. And here are direct links to Grayson County Cooperative Extension and the Smyth County Cooperative Extension based in Marion.
• Virginia Department of Emergency Management
• Smyth County Disaster Relief – crews available to help with tree and debris removal, muck cleaning, and more. Plus, the Smyth County Library can help with filling out relief forms.
• Virginia 211 – connections to resources, broken down by category (clothes, transportation, housing, etc.)

Emotional support resources

• 1-800-985-5990 – The Disaster Distress Helpline (DDH) is the first national hotline dedicated to providing year-round disaster crisis counseling. This toll-free, multilingual, crisis support service is available 24/7 to all residents in the U.S. and its territories who are experiencing emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters.
• 1-800-FARM-AID – For farm families under extreme stress who need a sympathetic ear, someone to listen and provide relief from the anxiety and desperation they may be experiencing.