LYONS, Ga. — The aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which struck the South in late September, continues to leave farmers like Chris Hopkins grappling with significant destruction on their land even two months later. Twisted remnants of farming equipment, such as an overturned 300-foot-long irrigation sprinkler and a crushed grain bin, can still be seen across his Georgia property. Recently, Hopkins was seen clearing debris to allow access for his cotton-picking tractor, which operates across six rows at a time.
“I’ve experienced a whirlwind of emotions these past months,” said Hopkins, a dedicated farmer who cultivates corn and peanuts in rural Toombs County, situated roughly 75 miles west of Savannah. “Should we just endure this and walk away, or should we rebuild? It’s extremely taxing emotionally.”
Hopkins is not alone; many farmers in the South are reeling from the effects of Helene. The storm made landfall in Florida as a powerful Category 4 hurricane on September 26, quickly moving northward through Georgia and surrounding states. Experts project the total agricultural damage, encompassing farmers, timber growers, and the broader agribusiness sector from Florida to Virginia, will exceed $10 billion. This figure includes severely damaged crops, destroyed timber, wrecked farm machinery, and compromised poultry facilities, as well as secondary repercussions like lost productivity in cotton gins and poultry processing plants.
The timing of Helene’s arrival was particularly unfortunate for cotton producers, including Hopkins, who had just begun their fall harvest. Many farmers prioritized crop salvage over cleanup efforts. According to an analysis from the University of Georgia, farmers in the state experienced storm-related losses of at least $5.5 billion. Within North Carolina, officials observed similar issues, estimating that farmers suffered $3.1 billion in losses due to the record rain and flooding caused by Helene. Additional analyses reported projected damages of up to $630 million in Virginia, $452 million in South Carolina, and $162 million in Florida.
For Hopkins, the devastation included the shock loss of around half of the cotton yield from his 1,400 acres. “We reached the most vulnerable stage right before the storm,” he explained. “The lint was open and airy, ready for harvest or defoliation. Approximately 50% of what could have been harvested ended up on the ground.” Despite having insurance, Hopkins estimates he will still incur a loss of about $430,000 from his cotton production alone, excluding costs for debris removal and equipment repairs or replacements. Additionally, two smaller pecan orchards were completely destroyed.
Helene wreaked havoc on thriving crops like cotton, pecans, and fall vegetables, alongside the substantial risk to poultry production facilities. Even farmers situated far from the hurricane’s eye felt the impact; tropical storm-force winds extended up to 310 miles from Helene’s core. “The extent of the losses is unimaginable,” remarked Timothy Coolong, a horticulture expert at the University of Georgia. “This could be overwhelming for some individuals.”
With a toll of over 200 lives lost, Helene marked itself as one of the deadliest hurricanes in nearly twenty years, leaving over 100,000 homes damaged or destroyed throughout the region. In response to the devastation, Georgia’s government allocated $100 million in November from its construction budget for emergency loans aimed at assisting farmers and facilitating cleanup efforts. Republican Governor Brian Kemp has emphasized the need for more disaster relief as the upcoming legislative session approaches. However, constitutional restrictions in Georgia prevent direct state fund distributions to private entities or individuals affected by disasters.
On a federal level, a spending bill passed to avert a government shutdown introduced $21 billion in disaster relief to American farmers. “We need assistance, and we need it promptly,” said Jeffrey Pridgen, a fifth-generation farmer in south Georgia’s Coffee County. Pridgen’s farm, which includes twelve poultry houses each capable of housing up to 20,000 chickens, was severely impacted, with four houses destroyed and only one remaining functional. The cost of rebuilding each chicken house is approximately $450,000, suggesting limited insurance coverage for the older structures.
“I was looking forward to retirement, but in a single day, I lost both my retirement plans and my income,” lamented the 62-year-old Pridgen. “It will take us two years to be fully operational again; I’m essentially starting over.”
The poultry industry in Georgia faced an estimated loss of $683 million; farmers now have to reconstruct about 300 chicken houses while many others require extensive repairs. Amid this crisis, a poultry processing facility that depends on Pridgen and other affected farmers for chicken supply is now functioning only four days a week. “For at least a year—and potentially longer—we’ll be in recovery mode,” stated Mike Giles, president of the Georgia Poultry Federation. “This significantly affects production in our region for an extended duration.”
Despite the losses faced, experts believe that consumer prices will not be drastically affected, as crops from other areas can generally cover shortages. However, pecan prices, where Georgia contributes one-third of U.S. production, might see some shifts. “In most instances, even significant storms have minimal impacts on market prices,” noted Michael Adjemian, an agricultural economics professor at the University of Georgia. Unfortunately for cotton farmers, Helene’s aftermath represents about one-third of this year’s cotton production losses, estimating direct and indirect damages at $560 million. They were already recovering from the impacts of Hurricane Michael in 2018. Cotton growers are also facing low prices, hovering around 70 cents per pound, which exacerbates their need for substantial yields to earn a profit.
“There are individuals who lost everything and others who have just been hit hard, but ultimately, everyone suffered some level of loss,” commented Taylor Sills, executive director of the Georgia Cotton Commission.
