Southern growers to benefit from Helene recovery funding

Georgia will receive more than $531 million in federal assistance through a block grant agreement to help producers recover from Hurricane Helene, while South Carolina will receive more than $38.3 million.

USDA announced the grants, in agreement with the states’ agricultural departments, on Sept. 30.

This funding is part of the $30 billion disaster assistance relief effort authorized by the American Relief Act, 2025. USDA is working with 14 different states to develop and implement block grants to address disaster recovery needs.

Georgia’s Block Grant Program will cover future economic losses, infrastructure losses and timber losses caused by Helene, according to a news release.

“This funding is absolutely essential to help our farm families bounce back from Hurricane Helene, and our team invested hundreds of hours into the negotiation process to secure the maximum possible amount of federal funding for our state and our producers,” said Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler J. Harper.

The S.C. Department of Agriculture will also administer a program covering infrastructure and timber losses in addition to future economic losses and market losses.

Additional program information will be available through the state’s agricultural departments.

“Farmers and ranchers across the Southeast are still recovering from Hurricane Helene and our team at USDA is working closely with states like South Carolina to quickly provide relief for farmers who have taken a financial hit due to no fault of their own,” UDSA Secretary Brooke Rollins said.

On July 10, Rollins launched Stage 1 of the two-stage Supplemental Disaster Relief Program to assist producers who incurred losses of revenue, quality or production of crops due to weather related events in 2023 and 2024.