Assessing hurricane hit

Hurricane Dorian has destroyed at least 20 percent to 25 percent of North Carolina tobacco farmers’ crops, according to David Thomas of the U.S. Tobacco Cooperative.

Farms in about 15 of the states’ counties were severely affected, including Sampson county and Duplin county, which produce much of the state’s tobacco.

“It is taking a toll on the tobacco production in North Carolina, and the last three years have been really stressful on tobacco farmers,” said Thomas.

Hurricanes also bring salt inland through storm surge, which can further degrade the quality of tobacco plants.

In a normal season, farms would have the rest of this month to complete harvesting. But Thomas says many farmers will probably not finish gathering the tobacco left in the field this year.