Georgia farmers still waiting on USDA block grants nearly a year after Hurricane Helene

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Nearly a year after Hurricane Helene devastated Georgia’s farms and forests, billions of dollars in federal disaster aid are still tied up in Washington.

State leaders said they are closer than ever to getting money into the hands of farmers, but many producers remain in limbo.

The storm destroyed millions of acres of crops and timber, causing an estimated $5.5 billion in agricultural losses.

Recovery has been slow, according to University of Georgia (UGA) Extension Climatologist Pam Knox.

“Farmers don’t make a lot of money to begin with. By the time you pay for diesel, fertilizer, labor and equipment, there’s not much left,” Knox said.

Congress approved up to $30 billion in agricultural disaster relief last December, including block grants to sta