Washington, D.C. — In his continued fight for Georgia farmers, Sen. Jon Ossoff sent a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins and Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper requesting answers on the lack of movement on a block grant agreement for federal relief more than 9 months after Hurricane Helene devastated Georgia’s agricultural communities — and more than 6 months after Congress appropriated disaster aid.
“Although some funds have been made available at the national level through USDA, many of Georgia’s farmers and producers who were most affected by Hurricane Helene are not eligible for this assistance and tell me they are instead counting on a block grant,” Ossoff wrote.
Prior Testimony
Ossoff also noted that USDA Secretary Rollins testified before Congress in May, promising the block grant negotiations with Georgia would “move very, very quickly.”
“However, the failure of USDA and the State of Georgia to conclude the block grant agreement has left many Georgia farmers and producers in limbo,” Sen. Ossoff stated, demanding an updated timeframe for the completion of the agreement within one week.
Ossoff continues pressing USDA and the State of Georgia to swiftly distribute federal disaster assistance for Georgia farmers that Congress swiftly secured after Hurricane Helene. After Hurricane Michael, it took Congress over 8 months to pass relief. After Helene, Sen. Ossoff pushed Congress and got done it in under 90 days.
Ossoff pressed USDA Secretary Rollins during a U.S. Senate hearing in May to expedite relief to Georgia farmers impacted by Hurricane Helene.
Last fall, Sen. Ossoff testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations on the urgent need to support Georgia agriculture after the devastating impacts of Hurricane Helene.
Last September, in the immediate days after Hurricane Helene, Sen. Ossoff and Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08), alongside Georgia’s entire Congressional Delegation, led a bipartisan, bicameral group of 34 lawmakers from Southeastern states urging Congressional Leadership to ensure disaster relief resources are made available to agricultural producers following the devastating impacts of Hurricane Helene.
Click here to read Sen. Ossoff’s letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the State of Georgia.