Ag News
Ossoff, Austin Scott lead multi-state effort to get ag disaster relief funding after Hurricane Helene
Posted on Oct 01, 2024 at 20:32 PM
“Federal agricultural disaster assistance is essential to help our States and our Nation recover,” Sen. Jon Ossoff, Rep. Austin Scott, and Congressional colleagues from Georgia and other Southeastern states wrote to Congressional leaders.
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Photo courtesy Georgia Cotton Commission
Tifton, Ga. — U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff and U.S. Rep. Austin Scott (GA-08) are leading a bipartisan, multi-state push for disaster relief funding to prevent deep and lasting economic damage to the agricultural sector in the Southeastern United States.
Today, Oct. 1, Sen. Ossoff and Rep. Scott, alongside Georgia’s entire U.S. Congressional Delegation, led a bipartisan, bicameral group of 34 lawmakers from Southeastern states, urging Congressional leadership to work with them and the Biden Administration to ensure disaster relief resources are made available to agricultural producers following the devastating impacts of Hurricane Helene on agriculture.
“To prevent deep and lasting economic damage to the agricultural industry in the Southeastern United States, it is imperative that Congress make appropriations as soon as possible upon the completion of damage assessments to fully fund unmet agricultural disaster relief needs in our states and across the nation,” Sen. Ossoff, Rep. Scott, and colleagues wrote to Congressional Leadership. “Farmers and growers nationwide, not only those damaged by Helene, have now faced multiple growing seasons without sufficient federal support. Our constituents are counting on us to act swiftly.”
Sen. Ossoff and Rep. Scott are joined by Sens. Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Reps. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (GA-01), Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02), Drew Ferguson (GA-03), Hank Johnson (GA-04), Nikema Williams (GA-05), Rich McCormick (GA-06), Lucy McBath (GA-07), Andrew Clyde (GA-09), Mike Collins (GA-10), Barry Loudermilk (GA-11), Rick Allen (GA-12), David Scott (GA-13) & Marjorie Taylor Greene (GA-14).
The following Congressional members from Florida, Kentucky, North Carolina and Tennessee also signed onto the letter urging Congress and the Biden Administration to approve disaster relief funding for farmers who suffered damage from Hurricane Helene: Darren Soto (FL-09), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), Kathy Castor (FL-14), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Jared Moskowitz (FL-23), Frederica Wilson (FL-24), Morgan McGarvey (KY-03), Don Davis (NC-01), Deborah Ross (NC-02), Greg Murphy (NC-03), Kathy Manning (NC-06), Dan Bishop (NC-08), Chuck Edwards (NC-11), Alma Adams (NC-12) Wiley Nickel (NC-13), Jeff Jackson (NC-14), and Diana Harshbarger (TN-01).
The letter was sent to U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson and U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer along with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
On Thursday, Sept. 26, Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida as a devastating Category 4 hurricane before making its way through Georgia in the early hours of the morning on Sept. 27 and downgrading to a tropical storm affecting South Carolina, North Carolina, Kentucky, and Tennessee — with deep, disastrous impacts across agricultural sectors.
“Federal agricultural disaster assistance is essential to help our States and our Nation recover. We urge you to work with the administration to ensure disaster relief resources are made available to our growers. Thank you for your support, and we look forward to working with you to secure these critical resources,” Sen. Ossoff, Rep. Scott, and the group wrote.
To read the bipartisan, bicameral letter visit
https://gfb.ag/SEUScongressmembersurgeaghelenedisasterfunding
This Congressional action follows Georgia Agricultural Commissioner Tyler Harper sending a letter to members of Georgia’s U.S. Congressional Delegation on Sept. requesting immediate action be taken to provide federal funding to help Georgia agriculture recover from Hurricane Helene. Read more at https://gfb.ag/actiontakentogetfedhelpforGA .
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