USDA Announces $531 Million for Georgia Farm Recovery After Hurricane Helene
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins has announced a significant investment in Georgia’s agricultural recovery. Through a congressionally mandated block grant, the USDA will provide more than $531 million in disaster assistance to help Georgia farmers rebuild after Hurricane Helene.
“USDA will provide more than $531 million in congressionally mandated recovery assistance to Georgia agricultural producers through a block grant agreement with the Georgia Department of Agriculture.”
The funding comes in response to widespread agricultural damage caused by Hurricane Helene and is designed to support long-term recovery efforts for producers who experienced devastating losses.
“It’ll help producers recover from Hurricane Helene.”
Secretary Rollins emphasized that this aid reflects the administration’s ongoing support for American farmers.
“President Trump has our farmers’ backs and will ensure you have the resources you need to continue to produce the safest, most reliable, and most abundant food supply in the world.”
In Georgia, Commissioner of Agriculture Tyler Harper praised the announcement and highlighted the behind-the-scenes effort to secure these critical funds.
“He said he’s extremely proud to announce the state of Georgia will start distributing the $531 million in federal funding.”
“He said the funding is absolutely essential to help our farm families bounce back from Hurricane Helene, and our team invested hundreds of hours into the negotiations process to secure the maximum possible amount of federal funding for the state and our producers.”
This funding will be administered through block grants, distributed directly to qualified producers who suffered documented losses from the hurricane.
“So they’re going to be distributing that $531 million on block grants to people who have applied due to the hurricane damage last year.”
With this $531 million USDA recovery package, Georgia’s farm families will have essential financial support as they rebuild operations, recover yields, and restore livelihoods in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. The grant represents a vital step in ensuring the resilience and continuity of Georgia agriculture.
Audio Reporting by Tyron Spearman for Southeast AgNet.