Georgia fruit and vegetable growers begin to assess storm’s impact

In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, the Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association is working to assess the damage.

GFVGA staff will begin visiting with growers in affected areas Oct. 3, according to a statement from the organization. The southeastern part of the state has been hit especially hard by the storm, according to the statement.

GFVGA is working with leadership at the Georgia Department of Agriculture as well as other state and federal partners to secure relief. On Oct. 1, Commissioner Tyler Harper joined with Georgia Senate Ag Committee Chairman Russ Goodman and Georgia House Ag Committee Chairman Robert Dickey to call on the state congressional delegation for expedited emergency relief (.pdf).

The delegation has also written to President Joe Biden, seconding a request from Gov. Brian Kemp, for an expedited disaster declaration for counties impacted by the storm (.pdf).

The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Team has begun assessing damage and collecting data. GFVGA members are encouraged to reach out to local county Extension offices or crop specialists.

More information is available at this link.

Resources

On the federal level, there are several entities that can provide assistance:

USDA’s Disaster Assistance programs

USDA Emergency Conservation Program (ECP)

USDA Tree Assistance Program (TAP)

USDA Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP)

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

Small Business Administration (SBA)

For individuals that require assistance with FEMA applications, there is information available online. Additionally, growers can turn to local and state resources for assistance and guidance.