ATLANTA () – It’s been one year since Hurricane Helene tore through Georgia, leaving behind nearly $6 billion in damage.
Of the state’s nearly 40,000 farms, about 25,000 suffered crop losses or farmland destruction, with agriculture and forestry hit the hardest.
The Georgia Department of Agriculture says federal block grants are in the final review stages with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper says aid is beginning to reach producers, but more relief is still tied up in Washington.
“We’ve already seen $100 billion dispersed in Georgia, and it continues to roll out every single day. We hope to have an announcement very soon on the dollar amount that we’ll be getting here in Georgia and the work that we’re doing to get that moving,” Harper said.
The state has also provided its own assistance, raising over $300 million in low-interest loans and grants for forestry landowners and farm operations. Private fundraising has contributed nearly $1.8 million, which has already been distributed to farm families.
Harper says timber suffered the greatest losses, but poultry, pecans, row crops, beef, dairy, fruits, and vegetables also faced heavy damage.
Nevertheless, farmers caution that their resources are depleting as rising costs of fuel, equipment, and labor accumulate, reaching nearly $250 million in additional expenses over the last three years.
The state claims it is about six months ahead of schedule for Hurricane Michael recovery efforts. Once USDA finalizes its approval, Georgia officials will initiate block grants directly to farm families across the state.
