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LYONS, Ga. — The remnants of Hurricane Helene’s destructive path are still visible on Chris Hopkins’ farm in Georgia, more than two months after the storm wreaked havoc across the South.
A long irrigation sprinkler system lies toppled in the fields, with its steel pipes twisted and broken joints visible. Nearby, a grain bin has crumpled, creating a stark reminder of the destruction that unfolded. On a Friday in early December, Hopkins was busy clearing heavy branches from the area where his cotton-picking machinery operates, navigating through the disarray left by the hurricane.
“I’ve experienced a whirlwind of emotions these past couple of months,” shared Hopkins, who cultivates corn and peanuts along with cotton in Toombs County, roughly 75 miles west of Savannah. “Should we tough it out and call it a day? Or do we attempt to rebuild? It’s been emotionally exhausting.”
Similar sentiments resonate among farmers throughout the South still grappling with the storm’s impact. Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida on September 26 as a powerful Category 4 storm, rapidly moving northward into Georgia and nearby states.
Experts are forecasting that the damage to farmers, timber producers, and other agricultural businesses from Florida to Virginia could surpass $10 billion. This figure includes ruined crops, uprooted trees, destroyed farming equipment, and damaged poultry houses, along with indirect costs such as decreased productivity in cotton gins and processing plants.
For cotton producers like Hopkins, the timing of Helene was particularly unfortunate, coinciding with the beginning of the fall harvest. Many farmers delayed the cleanup efforts, aiming to salvage whatever remained of their crops.
The devastation for cotton, pecans, and autumn vegetables has been described as “staggering.” According to an analysis by the University of Georgia, losses for farmers in Georgia have hit a minimum of $5.5 billion. The North Carolina state agency reported that farmers in that region faced $3.1 billion in losses due to Helene’s record-setting rainfall and flooding. Additional assessments have estimated damages of up to $630 million in Virginia, $452 million in South Carolina, and $162 million in Florida.
Hopkins estimates a loss of around 50% of the cotton across his 1,400 acres. “We were at our most vulnerable stage,” he stated, explaining how the cotton was ripe and ready for harvest. “About 50% of the cotton that could be picked ended up on the ground.”
Despite having insurance, Hopkins noted that he won’t be able to recover nearly $430,000 in losses solely from his cotton crop. This amount excludes expenses related to debris removal, repairing or replacing damaged equipment, as well as two small pecan orchards devastated by the storm.
The hurricane battered cotton fields and pecan orchards burdened with nuts, while also laying waste to fields of fall vegetables like cucumbers and squash ready for harvest. Hundreds of large poultry houses, essential for raising significant numbers of chickens, were also destroyed.
Even regions far from the hurricane’s direct path experienced damage, as tropical-storm force winds reached up to 310 miles away.
“It was overwhelming,” remarked Timothy Coolong, a horticulture professor at the University of Georgia. “For some, this may just be too daunting.”
Helene marked itself as one of the deadliest hurricanes in nearly two decades, resulting in over 200 fatalities and damaging or destroying more than 100,000 homes across the South.
Will timely aid reach farmers in need?
In November, Georgia’s government redirected $100 million intended for construction projects to provide emergency loans for farmers and to assist with cleanup efforts in the aftermath of Helene. Governor Brian Kemp has emphasized the importance of additional storm relief as the upcoming legislative session approaches.
However, Georgia’s constitution restricts the use of state funds for direct disaster aid to individuals and private enterprises.
A new congressional proposal, which emerged late on a Friday, included substantial disaster aid for farmers as part of temporary federal operations funding.
“We need assistance, but it needs to come quickly,” expressed Jeffrey Pridgen, a fifth-generation farmer from Coffee County in south Georgia. Pridgen operated multiple poultry houses capable of raising up to 20,000 chickens each, but Helene destroyed four of them, wiping out thousands of chickens. Only one of his facilities remains functional, with the rest in significant disrepair.
Pridgen anticipates that replacing the destroyed chicken houses will run about $450,000 each. Given that most were old, he estimates insurance will only cover half of the expense.
“I was on the brink of retirement, but in just one day, I lost both my future and income,” said 62-year-old Pridgen. “It will take us two years to operate at full capacity again; I’m essentially starting from scratch.”
“Everyone experienced some form of loss.”
The poultry sector in Georgia faced an estimated $683 million in damages, necessitating the restoration of roughly 300 chicken houses and repairs to countless others.
The poultry processing plant that depends on farmers like Pridgen for chickens is now operating only four days a week due to the impact of Helene.
“Now we’re shifting into rebuilding mode for at least a year, if not longer,” stated Mike Giles, president of the Georgia Poultry Federation. “This kind of damage influences production for an extended duration.”
Experts suggest that Helene’s devastation shouldn’t significantly affect consumer prices, as production from farms in different regions can typically supplement the shortages created. However, pecans might present an exception, as Georgia contributes around one-third of all U.S. production.
“In many situations, even after a catastrophic storm, the effects on prices may be relatively minimal,” noted Michael Adjemian, an agricultural economics professor at the University of Georgia. “In some instances, consumers may not even notice the impact, depending on the product.”
According to estimates, Helene caused Georgia’s cotton farmers to lose approximately one-third of their crop, resulting in direct and indirect losses valued at $560 million. Many farmers were still recovering from Hurricane Michael’s effects in 2018.
In addition to low prices, around 70 cents per pound, cotton growers faced challenges this harvest season, as stated by Taylor Sills, executive director of the Georgia Cotton Commission. Farmers needed an abundant yield just to make any profit.

“There were already difficult times, and then they were hit by a hurricane,” remarked Sills. “Some individuals have been completely wiped out, while others fared better. However, everyone endured some loss.”
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