By Clint Thompson
Southeast specialty crop farmers can expect the portal to apply for federal disaster relief assistance to open in the next couple of weeks, no later than the end of the month.
That is according to Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, who testified before the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies on Tuesday. She answered questions pertaining to various topics, including disaster relief assistance that was approved by Congress at the end of last year.
“That relief was passed very quickly and very impressively at the end of last year. We have been tracking it very closely. I have visited Georgia and visited some of those peanut farmers. I’ve seen the devastation firsthand. It is heartbreaking to witness it,” Rollins said. “Within a matter of weeks, the portal will open on those grant applications.”
Helene Impact
Senator Jon Ossoff (GA) helped lead a bipartisan effort to pass a relief package that included $21 billion in agricultural disaster funding to help Georgia producers recovering from Helene and farmers across the country impacted by natural disasters.
He pressed Rollins on the issue of getting financial aid into the hands of growers who are still reeling from the hurricane last fall.
“Time is of the essence,” Ossoff said.
Georgia Ag Commissioner Tyler Harper could not agree more, as he talked about the disaster funding last week at the groundbreaking event for the Grand Farm.
“I actually talked to (Secretary Rollins) at the end of last week and expressed to her and her team how important it was for us to get that natural disaster aid as quickly as we could to Georgia. We’re working really closely with USDA on ensuring that we get that in our hands and out the door as fast as possible,” Harper said.
“I know a lot of our farm families, they need it to help them get back on their feet. We’re committed to doing just that, in getting it out as quickly as possible.”