Georgia and USDA sign Hurricane Helene block grant; $531 million program to open March 16

The Georgia Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Agriculture finalized a block grant agreement to aid producers affected by Hurricane Helene, Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper told the Georgia House Agriculture Committee.

"The block grant is final. It's signed. It's done," Commissioner Tyler Harper said, announcing that applications will open March 16 and the intake period will remain open for six weeks, closing at midnight April 27. Harper said a press release was being issued as he spoke and the department will push the information through its networks and partners.

Harper said the program covers a range of production and infrastructure losses tied to Hurricane Helene, including timber, infrastructure, poultry, beef and dairy cattle (including milk loss), dairy feed loss, pecans, blueberries, citrus, some nursery losses, plasticulture and bare-ground losses. Producers must show verifiable losses and be in counties listed in the Secretary of Agriculture's disaster declaration to be eligible.

The commissioner confirmed the program amount at roughly $531 million. "It's a little over $531 million," he said.

Harper described a review and staffing plan for intake: the department has contracted eight people to help adjudicate applications — seven retired Farm Service Agency staff experienced in disaster applications and a former USDA FSA program manager to serve as program manager — supported by the department's legal, IT and grants teams.

Program terms include guardrails and audit requirements, Harper said. Recipients will be required to retain certain financial records for up to three years to satisfy USDA audit rules, and some applicants will be required to maintain crop insurance for a specified period after receiving funds.

When asked where applicants should go, Harper said the direct web address is farmrecovery.com and that agr.georgia.gov also contains a direct link to the Hurricane Helene information page and the application. Harper also said FAQ sheets for each covered commodity will be posted to help producers prepare applications.

On county eligibility, Harper said the department used the same county loss map as USDA's declared disaster counties; producers not in shaded counties may still pursue other USDA/FSA loss programs or contact the department's email on the site to ask about case-by-case escalations to USDA.

Harper urged producers to assemble documentation ahead of March 16 and said the department will work with members and industry groups to publicize the application window.

The department did not provide exact per-producer payout caps during the committee update; program details and the list of qualified entities for related initiatives will be posted on the department website.