U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture
11/18/2024 | Press release | Archived content
Thompson Leads Bipartisan Tour of Hurricane Damage in Florida and Georgia
Following a bipartisan tour of hurricane damage in Florida and Georgia, House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Glenn "GT" Thompson released the following statement:
"Traveling to the Southeast, I was able to see firsthand the devastating impact of the recent hurricanes. Hurricanes Milton and Helene hit our agricultural sector especially hard, highlighting the urgent need for disaster relief. I want to thank Rep. Austin Scott and Rep. Kat Cammack for the invitation. I am committed to identifying resources to help our hardworking producers and rural communities fully recover and thrive."
Over the weekend, at the invitation of Reps. Austin Scott and Kat Cammack, a bipartisan group of Members of the Committee on Agriculture traveled to Northern Florida and Southern Georgia. In addition to Reps. Scott and Cammack, Chairman Thompson was joined by Reps. Doug LaMalfa and Darren Soto. The purpose of the visit was to assess damage, hear from impacted producers, and get a boots on the ground perspective of the response. Congress will soon be developing and advancing disaster aid legislation and this trip better informed those future discussions in D.C.
Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08): "I'm thankful to Chairman Thompson for visiting Georgia's Eighth district to survey the damage after Helene. Georgia's farmers need help, and I appreciate the Chairman taking the time to meet with them firsthand so we can better work together for relief."
In Georgia, the Members toured hurricane damage at a pecan orchard in Pearson. They then traveled to Broxton to meet with impacted poultry and pecan producers, met with representatives from the University of Georgia, and toured several downed poultry houses. According to the University of Georgia, the overall economic impact of Hurricane Helene on Georgia's entire agriculture industry is estimated at $6.46 billion.
Congresswoman Kat Cammack (FL-03): "I'm grateful to Agriculture Committee Chairman "GT" Thompson for visiting the Florida and Georgia areas impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Helene devastated my district at the end of August, generating billions in agriculture losses for some of our major crops. While the USDA response has been lackluster, I'm grateful for my colleagues and Chairman Thompson who are committed to ensuring we deliver the necessary aid to our hardworking producers."
In Florida, Members toured Shenandoah Dairy in Live Oak and held a roundtable with producers at the Suwannee County Farm Bureau, surveyed a timber track with the Florida Forestry Association, and inspected the infrastructure damage at Adams Farm in Jasper. The Members then traveled to Jennings, Florida where they met with fruit and vegetable producers impacted by the hurricanes. According to a preliminary assessment by Florida's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Hurricane Milton caused $1.5 billion to $2.5 billion in damage to Florida's crops and agricultural infrastructure.
America's producers are already facing a tough farm economy. Since the last farm bill was passed in 2018, farmers have traversed a global pandemic, trade wars, fractured supply chains, labor shortages, rising input costs, lower commodity prices, the sharpest declines in farm income, record agricultural trade deficits, and more. The current farm safety net simply does not meet the needs of our rural communities. A new five-year farm bill that meaningfully strengthens the farm safety net is the least Congress can do to shore up our domestic food supply. An agriculture disaster package is also equally important to the Committee and this trip will help inform discussions moving forward.
"Traveling to the Southeast, I was able to see firsthand the devastating impact of the recent hurricanes. Hurricanes Milton and Helene hit our agricultural sector especially hard, highlighting the urgent need for disaster relief. I want to thank Rep. Austin Scott and Rep. Kat Cammack for the invitation. I am committed to identifying resources to help our hardworking producers and rural communities fully recover and thrive."
Over the weekend, at the invitation of Reps. Austin Scott and Kat Cammack, a bipartisan group of Members of the Committee on Agriculture traveled to Northern Florida and Southern Georgia. In addition to Reps. Scott and Cammack, Chairman Thompson was joined by Reps. Doug LaMalfa and Darren Soto. The purpose of the visit was to assess damage, hear from impacted producers, and get a boots on the ground perspective of the response. Congress will soon be developing and advancing disaster aid legislation and this trip better informed those future discussions in D.C.
Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08): "I'm thankful to Chairman Thompson for visiting Georgia's Eighth district to survey the damage after Helene. Georgia's farmers need help, and I appreciate the Chairman taking the time to meet with them firsthand so we can better work together for relief."
In Georgia, the Members toured hurricane damage at a pecan orchard in Pearson. They then traveled to Broxton to meet with impacted poultry and pecan producers, met with representatives from the University of Georgia, and toured several downed poultry houses. According to the University of Georgia, the overall economic impact of Hurricane Helene on Georgia's entire agriculture industry is estimated at $6.46 billion.
Congresswoman Kat Cammack (FL-03): "I'm grateful to Agriculture Committee Chairman "GT" Thompson for visiting the Florida and Georgia areas impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Helene devastated my district at the end of August, generating billions in agriculture losses for some of our major crops. While the USDA response has been lackluster, I'm grateful for my colleagues and Chairman Thompson who are committed to ensuring we deliver the necessary aid to our hardworking producers."
In Florida, Members toured Shenandoah Dairy in Live Oak and held a roundtable with producers at the Suwannee County Farm Bureau, surveyed a timber track with the Florida Forestry Association, and inspected the infrastructure damage at Adams Farm in Jasper. The Members then traveled to Jennings, Florida where they met with fruit and vegetable producers impacted by the hurricanes. According to a preliminary assessment by Florida's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Hurricane Milton caused $1.5 billion to $2.5 billion in damage to Florida's crops and agricultural infrastructure.
America's producers are already facing a tough farm economy. Since the last farm bill was passed in 2018, farmers have traversed a global pandemic, trade wars, fractured supply chains, labor shortages, rising input costs, lower commodity prices, the sharpest declines in farm income, record agricultural trade deficits, and more. The current farm safety net simply does not meet the needs of our rural communities. A new five-year farm bill that meaningfully strengthens the farm safety net is the least Congress can do to shore up our domestic food supply. An agriculture disaster package is also equally important to the Committee and this trip will help inform discussions moving forward.