In Atlanta, recent updates indicate that substantial aid intended for Hurricane Helene’s victims will be distributed later this month, as confirmed by U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. The allocation, however, has been delayed, causing challenges for some farmers who are struggling with this year’s planting season. Congress had set March 21 as the deadline to release the funds after approving a $100 billion disaster relief package last December. The late September storm affected areas stretching from Florida’s Big Bend through eastern Georgia and upstate South Carolina, leading to significant floods in western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee.
According to the National Centers for Environmental Information, Hurricane Helene ranks as the seventh-most expensive disaster in the U.S. since 1980, with damages estimated at $78 billion and 219 lives lost. During a press briefing in Atlanta, Rollins assured that the aid disbursement would commence ahead of the March deadline. “Funds will begin moving in the next few weeks,” she stated.
For farmers like Chris Hopkins, located in Lyons, south Georgia, this assistance cannot arrive soon enough. Hurricane Helene devastated half of the cotton across his 1,400-acre farm. Recently, Hopkins commenced planting corn on 300 acres and plans to begin cotton planting by late April. The heavy losses forced him to use emergency funds to cover $200,000 in loans for seeds and fertilizers for 2024. Some nearby farmers, still grappling with last year’s debts, aren’t in a position to borrow for 2025 planting.
“The federal aid is crucial,” Hopkins remarked, expressing the dire financial constraints facing producers. Many were counting on receiving aid in January or February to settle debts before planting commenced. Due to delayed relief, some farmers resorted to selling equipment or land to finance new crops. “Receiving the aid sooner would have been beneficial for the agricultural community,” Hopkins emphasized, while also acknowledging their gratitude for the incoming funds. “Yet, enduring the entire 90-day wait is taxing.”
In South Carolina, the decision to integrate Helene relief funding within the regular state budget, instead of an emergency measure, hinged partly on the assumption that federal disbursement would be prompt.
While primarily designated for Helene’s aftermath, the disaster relief package incorporates $21 billion for aiding farmers, $8 billion for road and highway repairs, $12 billion in recovery grants for communities and individuals, and $2.2 billion in low-interest business and homeowner loans. Officials estimate that Helene inflicted $5.5 billion in damage to Georgia’s agriculture and $4.9 billion in North Carolina.
Beyond cotton, in Georgia, the hurricane toppled pecan trees and destroyed chicken housing. In North Carolina, agriculture focuses more on specialty crops like Christmas trees and nursery plants, often lacking extensive crop insurance coverage. Meanwhile, South Carolina authorities projected $620 million in agricultural losses last year, attributed not only to Helene but also other weather-related issues.
State ecosystems are enhancing assistance offerings. Georgia, for instance, committed $285 million in low-interest loans for farmers and debris clearing on private properties, part of an $862 million budget that was recently sanctioned by Governor Brian Kemp. Meanwhile, North Carolina legislators are drafting a supplemental Helene relief proposal potentially exceeding $500 million, aimed at addressing crop loss and other repercussions. The state is seeking nearly $1.9 billion in disaster relief as sanctioned by Congress, targeting particularly crop and timber damages, debris, and erosion management.
South Carolina’s House approved a budget allocating $220 million towards Helene relief for farmers and others, which complements federal support. Additionally, $50 million was reserved for the state’s Department of Transportation to recoup expenditures on repairing roads and clearing trees.
