Drought impacts have escalated in recent weeks across the southeast impacting crop planting and pasture availability. Now, wildfires have become a threat in both Georgia and Florida, with disaster declarations and burn bans put in place.
Earlier this month, USDA designated 30 Alabama counties as primary natural disaster areas and 12 contiguous disaster counties due to drought impacts and this week USDA announced the designation of 126 Georgia counties as primary natural disaster areas due to the drought.
Georgia Agricultural Commissioner Tyler Harper said, “Extreme drought conditions are impacting thousands of farm families across our state – causing even more uncertainty and driving up costs on the farm at a critical time. This Secretarial disaster declaration will allow Georgia producers to tap into additional, federal support as the drought conditions continue, and I’m deeply grateful to Secretary Brooke Rollins and the Trump Administration for their continued support of Georgia’s #1 industry and the farm families who fuel its success.” Georgia Governor Bryan Kemp has also declared a state of emergency for 91 counties and directed the Georgia Forestry Commission to “mobilize all necessary resources” to address the wildfires in South Georgia and a burn ban has been put in place by Georgia’s Forestry Commissioner John Sabo.
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson reviewed active wildfire efforts and wildfire damage in Clay and Putnam Counties earlier this week, saying “I am incredibly grateful to Florida Forest Service Director Rick Dolan and his team, Clay County Sheriff Michelle Cook and Fire Chief Mock for their continued work. We all appreciate Governor DeSantis and Director Guthrie for their support as we all work to keep Floridians safe during these fires.”
Audio Reporting by Dale Sandlin for Southeast AgNet.