By Clint Thompson
Georgia specialty crop producers impacted by Hurricane Helene in 2024 need legislative help to maintain their farming operations. Georgia legislators are doing their part to assist those farmers.
The governor’s disaster package, also known as HB 223, passed the Senate last week and went back to the House.
The bill would allow disaster payments to be state income tax exempt. It would provide direct payments for cleanup and other Hurricane Helene damage.
Georgia Agribusiness Council (GAC) President Will Bentley discussed the bill’s importance.
“Obviously, the state doesn’t have the resources to make everybody whole or even close to whole and that’s going to be more of a federal issue. But the state has stepped in; low-interest loans through the Georgia Development Authority, which is under the Department of Ag. There’s a lot of money in there for that,” Bentley said.
“More of what the state can do is on tax exemptions on income tax associated with timber, severance taxing and stuff like that. It’s more of a scale-down package from what will be expected from the federal government, but it is the state stepping up and doing everything they can with their limited ability to give direct payments. This is really the best way they can help out with our producers in the state.”
Bentley said federal disaster assistance in the form of block grants should be arriving soon.
“We met with Secretary Brooke Rollins (two weeks ago). She was in Georgia, and we had a good sit-down meeting with her. She expected that money to be out, she was hoping (last) week, but it may be delayed a few more days,” Bentley said.
