Resources for Farmers Affected By Helene

Below are some helpful resources for farmers recovering after Hurricane Helene. Let us know if we’re missing one.

• Georgia Department of Agriculture – Hurricane Helene Resource Page

• USDA Risk Management Agency – Recent Hurricanes Resource Page  

• USDA Farm Service Agency - Disaster Assistance Programs

• USDA Farm Service Agency - Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool

• FEMA Resources

• USDA RMA State News Page

• IRS Deadline Extensions

• Hurricane Helene HIP-WI Corridor Map

• Disaster Recovery Center Locator

• Senator Ossoff’s Helene Resource Page

• Farm Aid - Family Farm Disaster Fund

• RAFI: Disaster Recovery Resources for Farmers

Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) and Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP): 

• Extended ECP and EFRP signup that begins Oct. 15, 2024, and runs through June 1, 2025, in states affected by Hurricane Helene.

• Waiver of onsite inspection requirement for non-engineering practices for ECP and EFRP. 

• Executed Emergency Response (ER-850) authorization of emergency National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) circumstances to expedite FSA approval of practices involving surface debris removal, fence restoration, and non-ground disturbing activities. 

Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP): 

Guidance to FSA County Committees and local staff to exercise maximum flexibility in determining acceptable loss documentation and to ensure LIP applications are acted on timely. 

Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish (ELAP):  

• Assistance to help cover above normal costs to transport livestock to feed and/or transport feed/forage to livestock in hurricane-impacted states. 

• Assistance to help cover above normal costs to haul water to livestock in hurricane-impacted states. 

Tree Assistance Program (TAP):  

Extension of TAP assistance to trees/bushes/vines that have not died but are no longer capable of production (not economically viable).

Non-Insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP): 

• Waiver of 72-hour notification requirement on hand harvested crops. 

• Extended deadline to file a Notice of Loss with FSA. 

• Flexibility for FSA staff to perform loss adjustment activities and/or waive field inspections in cases where the cause of loss can be verified through other means. 

Marketing Assistance Loans (MAL):  

• Additional time for producers to deliver commodities to a buyer to repay MALs with sale proceeds.

• Postponement of MAL foreclosure letters applicable to losses or damages due to hurricanes for up to 90 calendar days.

The Major Disaster Declaration provides Individual Assistance and Public Assistance to Appling, Atkinson, Bacon, Ben Hill, Berrien, Brantley, Brooks, Bryan, Bulloch, Burke, Camden, Candler, Charlton, Chatham, Clinch, Coffee, Colquitt, Columbia, Cook, Echols, Effingham, Emanuel, Evans, Glascock, Glynn, Irwin, Jeff Davis, Jefferson, Jenkins, Johnson, Lanier, Laurens, Liberty, Lincoln, Long, Lowndes, McDuffie, Montgomery, Pierce, Rabun, Richmond, Screven, Tattnall, Telfair, Tift, Toombs, Treutlen, Ware, Washington, Wayne and Wheeler Counties. 

The Declaration also provides Individual Assistance only to: Butts, Dodge, Elbert, Fulton, Hancock, McIntosh, Newton, Rabun, Thomas and Warren Counties, as well as Public Assistance only to Mitchell, Pulaski, Twiggs, Wilcox, Wilkinson and Worth Counties.

Individual Assistance may include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, immediate housing and food needs, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of Hurricane Helene. 

Public Assistance can fund debris removal and emergency work on a public facility and may assist with funding for permanently restoring community infrastructure affected by a federally declared incident.