Politics

Edneyville grower appears on Fox Business to describe need for farm aid

By Lightning Reports, Published: January 24, 2025

Henderson County seems to have become the go-to ground-zero story when it comes to Hurricane Helene wrecking of farmland.

Apple growers and other farmers and Agriculture Extension Service Director Terry Kelley have been featured in numerous statewide and national media interviews about the storm’s catastrophic damage not only to crops but to equipment, barns, farm fields and farm roads — damage that Kelley projects at $150 million.

The latest to earn the county national exposure was Danielle Stepp McCall, of Stepp’s Hillcrest Orchard. Ahead of President Trump’s visit to Asheville today to see hurricane damage and talk about recovery, McCall appeared Thursday night on the Fox Business program The Bottom Line.

“Yes, I think that’s the word,” McCall said when asked whether she was hopeful that Trump will deliver much needed aid. “We are hopeful that there will be relief for us here in Western North Carolina for all agricultural losses we have faced.”

"What we suffered really was damage to the road, which meant folks couldn't get to our farm,” she said. “For us, we're still suffering from about a 50 percent loss of income just due to the fact that folks couldn't get here safely to visit us."

One of the first U-pick orchards in the county, Hillcrest Farm has an array of ag tourism attraction, including wagon rides, bakery, apple cannon and shop that sells jams and jellies in addition to apples and other produce.

Asked how the family could endure such a big hit, she said, “Well, we're pretty frugal. My husband has taken some jobs off the farm. There have been some local grants, local loans available. We have taken advantage of those so we will make it through. There's no doubt about it. We've been doing this for over 55 years here on our farm. We will make it through. But it would be great to see some help from the federal government for sure.”

What would she tell Trump?

“I would say, farmers are the backbone of America. Agriculture is a bipartisan issue. Everybody has to eat,” she told the business news show. “We're doing our part. We'd love to see some help come our way.”