Sen. Russ Goodman Urges USDA Secretary to Extend Indemnity Coverage to Georgia Counties Impacted by Hurricane Helene

ATLANTA (October 30, 2024) -Sen. Russ Goodman (R-Cogdell), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Consumer Affairs, has formally requested that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) re-evaluate its coverage area for the Hurricane Indemnity Program to include several Georgia counties heavily impacted by Hurricane Helene. In a letter sent to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack, Sen. Goodman emphasized the urgent need for support for Georgia's agricultural community, citing an estimated $6.4 billion in total damage to the state's agricultural industry, with direct crop losses expected to exceed $3 billion.

Several counties-Bulloch, Burke, Candler, Effingham, Evans, Jenkins, Lincoln, Long, Pierce, Richmond, Screven, Tattnall and Wayne-were excluded from the USDA Risk Management Agency's initial coverage, potentially leaving local farmers without access to vital resources for recovery. Sen. Goodman's letter, co-signed by several of his legislative colleagues, calls for a thorough analysis of the hurricane's impact on these areas, leveraging all available data from reliable sources such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and IBTrACS.

"Seeing almost every Senator in our state come together on this issue speaks volumes about the gravity of the situation our farming families are facing," said Sen. Goodman. "These farmers did their part by investing in Hurricane Indemnity policies. Now, they deserve to see the USDA step up to the plate. The impact of Hurricane Helene is apparent, and our farmers are counting on Secretary Vilsack to act, ensuring they are able to financially recover and rebuild from this devastation. As a legislative body, we're united in backing our farmers and the belief that they deserve the support they were promised."

Sen. Goodman's letter also highlighted challenges due to Hurricane Helene's impact on the National Center for Environmental Information, emphasizing that these data limitations should not hinder the assessment of damages in affected regions.

You can find a copy of the letter to Secretary Vilsack here.

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Sen. Russ Goodman serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Consumer Affairs. He represents the 8^th Senate District, which includes Atkinson, Clinch, Echols, Lanier, Lowndes and Pierce Counties and a large portion of Ware County. He may be reached at 404.656.7454 or at [email protected]