June 29, 2017 NC Pork Line - The new state budget goes into effect on July 1 and includes a provision that provides funding for the voluntary lagoon buyout program for operations located in the 100-year floodplain. The money will come from the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The NC Swine Floodplain Buyout was created in November 1999 in the wake of devastation from Hurricanes Dennis, Floyd and Irene. Under the program, the state invested more than $18 million to successfully buy out 43 swine operations in the 100-year floodplain. Inundation mapping done by NCDA&CS indicates that 32 of those 43 operations would likely have been flooded in Hurricane Matthew. Given the success of the program, the NCPC board of directors passed a resolution at their last board meeting supporting a restart of the initiative. As a result of that directive, NCPC lobbyists worked with NCDA&CS and state lawmakers to secure funding. The NCDA&CS Division of Soil and Water Conservation has also applied for federal grant money to help fund the program. | 