New legislation was passed to provide agricultural disaster relief assistance for Georgia farmers following Hurricane Helene.

On Monday, Sen. Jon Ossoff held a Zoom press conference highlighting the disaster relief assistance. 

"Hurricane Helene devastated Georgia agriculture in the days before the storm, during the storm, and the days immediately afterward," Ossoff said. "My team and I have been in close contact with growers, ranchers, and farmers across Georgia who suffered extreme damage as a result of the storm." 

Ossoff said fall crops were destroyed, pecan orchards that had taken 15 years to grow were destroyed overnight, over a million acres of timberland were damaged and chicken houses were destroyed across the state.

Overnight on Saturday, the Senate passed legislation that includes $21 billion in agricultural disaster funding, which will help Georgia farmers and farmers across the country recover from Helene. The bill also includes $10 billion in economic assistance for farmers who have struggled in recent years due to market conditions, imports and rising costs.

“I've been in touch with farmers as we've been through this legislative process, and of course, to share this good news and to make sure that they're aware that help is on the way,” Ossoff added. 

Source - https://www.11alive.com