Over $531 million in federal aid announced for Georgia farmers impacted by Hurricane Helene
Georgia farmers, ranchers, and foresters affected by Hurricane Helene will soon be eligible for more than $531 million in federal disaster relief, following months of advocacy by U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff.
The funding, announced this week, will be distributed through Georgia’s Hurricane Helene Block Grant Program.
The relief aims to help agricultural producers in eligible counties whose operations suffered losses in timber, infrastructure, poultry, livestock, milk production, pecans, blueberries, citrus, nursery stock, and other areas as a result of the 2024 hurricane. The storm caused severe damage across South and East-Central Georgia, destroying about one-third of the state’s pecan and cotton crops, damaging or destroying over 100 poultry houses, and impacting 1.5 million acres of timber.
The state’s agricultural sector faces an estimated $5.5 billion in total damages due to the storm. Hurricane Helene also claimed more than 250 lives, including 37 Georgians.
Eligible farmers and producers can apply for assistance through the Georgia Department of Agriculture. Applications will open on March 16, 2026, and close at midnight on April 27, 2026. Details about eligibility and the application process are available from the Georgia Department of Agriculture.
Senator Warnock, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, led bipartisan efforts to expedite the distribution of these funds. “This announcement is welcome news for the Georgia producers and farmers that have been forced to wait far too long for this desperately needed relief,” Warnock said.
Senator Ossoff also celebrated the announcement, stating, “I am glad Georgia farmers are getting the help they’ve long deserved.”
The funding comes after nearly two years of requests from Georgia’s congressional delegation and state officials to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, seeking aid for communities still recovering from Helene’s devastation.
