Governor Brian has announced new disaster relief measures for Georgia farmers. A plan to redirect millions of dollars to help farmers and timber producers impacted by Hurricane Helene has been approved.
“Today I called a special meeting of the Georgia State Financing and Investment Commission, to approve the transfer of $100 million for disaster relief, financial support for farmers and debris cleanup for timber producers impacted by Hurricane Helene,” Kemp said.
The Governor is also pushing for more federal support.
“I’m thankful for the state partners who made this latest relief effort possible, and rest assured that we’re continuing to work with them and our congressional delegation to call on the federal government for block grants that will further address the needs of hurting communities.”
A preliminary report from the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences estimates that damages from Hurricane Helene will cost the state’s economy at least $6.46 billion. The number includes direct crop losses, losses to businesses that support agriculture and forestry, losses to workers in those industries, and estimated recovery and restoration costs. The impact is more than double the estimated losses caused by Hurricane Michael in 2018.
Agriculture is the number one industry in Georgia, contributing some $83.6 billion each year to the state’s economy.
