LYONS, Ga. — Chris Hopkins’ farm in Georgia remains in disarray more than two months post-Hurricane Helene, which wreaked havoc across the South. Braced with twisted equipment and fallen branches, Hopkins faces a significant cleanup on his property. A long irrigation system now lies toppled in a field, its metal pipes contorted and joints destroyed. The remnants of a grain bin sit crushed by the roadside. On a chilly December afternoon, Hopkins removed thick branches to clear the way for his cotton-picking machinery, which operates across six rows at once.
“We’ve been battling a whirlwind of emotions since the storm,” reflected Hopkins, who cultivates cotton, corn, and peanuts in Toombs County, located approximately 75 miles from Savannah. He continues to question whether to push through this situation or rebuild, which he finds to be a deeply exhausting decision.
Hopkins isn’t alone; numerous farmers throughout the South still contend with the aftermath of Helene. The hurricane made its landfall in Florida on September 26 as a formidable Category 4 hurricane before rapidly moving northward through Georgia and neighboring states.
Estimates suggest the storm’s impact on farmers, timber growers, and agribusinesses from Florida to Virginia could surpass $10 billion. This extensive damage comprises ruined crops, uprooted levels of timber, destroyed farming machinery, and damaged poultry houses, alongside indirect losses such as diminished productivity at cotton gins and poultry processing facilities.
Cotton harvesters like Hopkins faced significant losses as Helene struck at the outset of the fall harvest. Many chose to pause the cleanup efforts in hopes of salvaging any remaining crop. Estimates indicate Georgia farmers alone have suffered losses of at least $5.5 billion, according to research from the University of Georgia. Meanwhile, a North Carolina agency calculated that farmers in the state incurred about $3.1 billion in losses and recovery costs due to the storm. Additional analyses show that Virginia suffered up to $630 million in damages, South Carolina faced $452 million, and Florida reported losses of $162 million.
Hopkins estimates that he lost about 50% of his cotton crop across 1,400 acres. “At the time of the storm, our crops were extremely vulnerable,” he explained. “The cotton was fluffy and ready for harvesting, and roughly half of what was ready ended up on the ground.” Despite having insurance, he anticipates a loss nearing $430,000 solely from his cotton crop, excluding expenses for debris removal, equipment repairs, and the loss of two small pecan orchards that were uprooted.
The hurricane devastated cotton fields, pecan orchards abundant with produce, and patches of land where fall vegetables like cucumbers and squash awaited harvest. Thousands of poultry houses, crucial for raising chickens, were destroyed.
Farmer Timothy Coolong from the University of Georgia noted, “The extent of the devastation is hard to comprehend. Some farmers may not be able to recover.” Helene marked one of the deadliest hurricanes in nearly twenty years, claiming over 200 lives and damaging or destroying more than 100,000 homes across the affected regions.
In response to the crisis, Georgia’s government redirected $100 million initially designated for construction projects to provide emergency loans for farmers and address the aftermath of Helene. Republican Governor Brian Kemp has prioritized further storm relief ahead of the next legislative session. However, Georgia’s constitution restricts the use of state funds for direct disaster assistance to individuals and private enterprises.
In Congress, a recently proposed plan aims to allocate billions in disaster relief for farmers as part of a fund to temporarily support federal operations. “We urgently need assistance to recover,” stated Jeffrey Pridgen, a fifth-generation farmer managing chicken operations in Coffee County, Georgia.
Pridgen noted the extensive damage to his business; the storm destroyed four out of his twelve poultry houses, which each have the capacity to house up to 20,000 chickens. With only one house remaining operational, he faces steep rebuilding costs estimated at $450,000 per house. He doesn’t expect insurance to cover more than half the expenses for his aging facilities.
“I was planning for retirement just before the storm,” Pridgen lamented, “but in a single day, I lost my future security and my income. It will likely take two years to return to full operational capacity. Essentially, I am starting from scratch.”
The poultry sector in Georgia witnessed estimated losses of around $683 million, with farmers needing to rebuild approximately 300 poultry houses and repair many more. The poultry processing plant dependent on Pridgen and fellow storm-impacted farmers now operates just four days a week.
“Our focus is now on recovery for at least the coming year, if not longer,” explained Mike Giles of the Georgia Poultry Federation. “The storm’s impact will affect production for an extended period.”
While Helene’s devastation may not significantly affect consumer prices—thanks to crop yields from other regions—the situation for pecans could be different, as Georgia is responsible for about one-third of the country’s production. Agricultural economics professor Michael Adjemian asserts that despite the storm’s severity, the overall impact on prices remains relatively minimal in most cases. “The repercussions may go unnoticed for many products,” he remarked.
The storm resulted in an estimated one-third loss of the cotton crop across Georgia, contributing to direct and indirect damages totaling $560 million. Many farmers were still recovering from the impacts of Hurricane Michael in 2018. Cotton producers also faced lower prices this harvest season, measured at about 70 cents per pound, underscoring the need for a substantial yield to generate profits.
“The situation was already dire, and then came the hurricane,” highlighted Taylor Sills of the Georgia Cotton Commission. “Some individuals lost absolutely everything, while others fared slightly better. Yet, the reality remains that everyone has lost something.”