By Clint Thompson
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp pleaded for federal hurricane disaster relief assistance during this week’s Georgia Farm Bureau meeting in Jekyll Island, Georgia. He spoke specifically about block grants that would aid his state’s farmers still recovering from Hurricane Helene.
“I continue to urge the current administration, the incoming administration and those in Congress to fund block grants to the states for disaster relief as quickly as possible. We know that we cannot wait around on Washington to get its act together,” Kemp said. “This month the Department of Agriculture and Georgia Development Authority began to roll out $100 million in low interest loans for farmers and foresters that we announced in November.
“While we are proud to have taken these actions and can do so because of our conservative approach to state budgeting, we won’t let up when calling on the feds to do right by our farmers and families in rural Georgia.”
Hurricane Impact
Georgia’s fruit and vegetable crops endured much of that financial wrath when Helene moved through Georgia on Sept. 26 and 27. Vegetables suffered between a $100 million and $120 million loss. Georgia’s blueberry industry suffered a $52 million impact. The citrus industry was dealt a 40% loss, amounting to $12 million.
Estimates released by the University of Georgia (UGA) College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) indicated a $62 million impact to pecan crop loss this year and $76 million in replanting costs. It is estimated that 400,000 trees were lost to the storm.
“This was truly like no storm this state has ever seen. With preliminary damage from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences placing the price tag of at least $5.5 billion on the damage to our agriculture and forestry industries alone, we believe that number will continue to rise,” Kemp said.
“Rest assured when the Georgia General Assembly convenes next month, item one on our agenda will be providing relief for those impacted by Helene.”