Crops rotting in water-logged fields
A DAM BREAK IN SOUTH CAROLINA
IS ALSO CAUSING PROBLEMS.
>>> EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA
FARMERS WERE HIT EXCEPTIONALLY
HARD, MANY LOSING LIVESTOCK AND
CROPS.
ALL OF THAT TRANSLET'S INTO
SERIOUS ECONOMIC LOSSES.
WRAL'S LAURA LESLIE JOINS US
LIVE IN HARNETT COUNTY WITH
THEIR STORY AND LAURA, IT IS
AMAZING TO SEE HOW MUCH HAS
ALREADY BEEN LOST.
>> Reporter: THIS IS WHAT
FAMILY FARMER NICHOLAS DUPREE
DID NOT WANT TO SEE TODAY AND
HAS FAILED.
ROT SETTING IN ON THIS 20-ACRE
PLOT OF SWEET POTATOES.
HE HAS OTHER FIELDS HE HASN'T
EVENNEN ABLE TO TURN OVER YET.
NICHOLAS DUPREE WAS IN A RACE
AGAINST TIME TODAY TO SAVE HIS
CROP OF SWEET POTATOES.
IF THEY SIT THIS WATER, THEY
ROT.
HIS FIELDS WERE STILL SEE
MUDDY, HE NEEDED A TRACTOR TO
PULL LOADED TRUCKS THROUGH
THEM.
SOME YARDS, HE WON'T EVEN
BOTHER TO HARVEST, HES SAYS.
>> THE WATER RUNS THROUGH THE
BAGS IN THE FIELD, THE LOW
SPOTS.
WE'LL LOSE MORE IN THOSE AREAS
THAN WE DO ON TOP OF THE RIDGE.
NOW, THE THIN IS TO GET THEM
OUT AS QUICK AS WE K.
>> Reporter: THE WET FIELD MAKE
HARVESTING A MUDDY JOB.
IT MAKE STORING THE CROP HARDER
TOO.
THE SWEET POTATOS HAVE BE TO
CHECKED FOR SIGNS OF ROT.
ONE ROTTEN ONE CAN SPOIL GOD
ONES AROUND IT.
ARE.
>> YOU HAVE CHANCES OF ROT
GETTING INTO THE BIN WHEN THEY
ARE PICKING THEM UP.
THEY DO THE BEST TO SORT THEM
OUT BUT NOT ALWAYS.
YOU WILL HAVE SOME.
>> Reporter: BRIAN PARRISH IS
AN AGRICULTURAL AGENT WITH
HARNETT COUNTY.
HE SAYS HARNETT'S SANDY SOILS
USUALLY DRY OUT PRETTY QUICKLY
BUT NOT THIS TIME.
>> WE HAD SOME AREAS IN THE
SOUTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY,
THEY GOT 10 INCHES THE WEEK
BEFORE THE STORM AND THEN
ANOTHER 10 OR 15 INCHES IN SOME
OF THOSE AREAS AND IT JUST IS
IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE SOIL TO DRY
UP.
>> Reporter: PARRISH SAYS CROP
LOSSES WILL HAVE A TREMENDOUS
ECONOMIC IMPACT ON THE COUNTY.
IT MAY TAKE WEEKS TO EVEN BE
ABLE TO ASSESS THEM.
>> WE GOT FARM ARES THAT HAVE
PEANUTS IN THE COUNTY THAT
HAVEN'T EVEN TURNED THE PEANUTS
UP.
SO IT IS A WAIT AND SEE GAME
WITH A LOT OF THE CROPS WE HAVE
OUT THERE RIGHT NOW.
JUST TO SEE HOW BAD THE DAMAGE
IS.
>> Reporter: AS PARRISH SAID,
IT IS NOT JUST SWEET POTATOES
IN JEOPARDY.
IT IS ALL TOBACCO.
SOME FARMER TOOK LOSSES BECAUSE
OF THE LOSS OF POWER.
THEY HAD JUST BROUGHT IN THE
HARVEST BUT THEY DIDN'T HAVE
THE ELECTRICITY TO CURE THE
TOBACCO BEFORE IT WENT BAD.
AND A LOT OF FOLKS HERE
ACTUALLY JUST GOT THEIR POWER
BACK YESTERDAY AND TODAY.
BACK TO YOU.