Agriculture Recovery Resource Day to Take Place in Grayson County, Va., on Oct. 29

BRISTOL, Va.- Helene caused over $159 million in agricultural damage and farm losses in southwest Virginia, according to a recent assessment by the Virginia Cooperative Extension. Commonwealth, federal and local agencies will be coming together in day-long events dedicated to agricultural recovery to share information and resources with impacted producers.

The commonwealth of Virginia, USDA and FEMA are jointly organizing an Agricultural Recovery Resource Dayon Tuesday, Oct. 29, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. in Grayson County. The event will take place at the Mountain View Baptist Church at 112 Mountain View Road in Independence, Va.

At least two additional, day-long events are also being planned for the week of Nov. 3 in Wythe and Washington counties. Southwest Virginia farmers and agricultural producers whose operations were affected by Helene can attend any event and can arrive any time from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. For the latest information, please visit the event website: fema.gov/event/hurricane-helene-virginia-agricultural-recovery-resource-day

"Multiple organizations, including federal, commonwealth, and local agencies have come together to help agricultural community recover from Tropical Storm Helene. The first Agriculture Recovery Resource Day will be an opportunity for farmers, private forest owners, and agribusiness owners to receive information and speak directly to representatives from over 15 agencies," said FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Timothy Pheil. "We understand the critical role agribusinesses play in Virginia's economy, and through the Agriculture Recovery Resource Days, we're working to provide farmers with direct access to the tools and resources they need to bounce back stronger than ever."

"Recovery is a long process. The commonwealth is working to coordinate resources for the agricultural community that was impacted by Tropical Storm Helene,", said VDEM State Coordinating Officer Shawn Talmadge. "We welcome any farmers to the first Agriculture Recovery Resource Day in Grayson County".

The following agencies will be present on Agriculture Recovery Resource Day to answer questions about grants, loans and other resources available for the agricultural community:

Federal agencies:

• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
• U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
• USDA Farm Service Agency (USDA FSA)
• USDA National Resources Conservation Agency (USDA NRCS)
• USDA Rural Development (USDA RD)

Commonwealth agencies:

• Virginia Department of Emergency Management
• Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
• Virginia Department of Forestry
• Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation
• Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
• Virginia Cooperative Extension
• Virginia Department of Health
• Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission
• Virginia Small Business Financing Authority

Local agencies and organizations:

• Soil and Water Conservation Districts
• AgriSafe
• Virginia Farm Bureau
• Virginia Cattlemen's Association
• Farm Credit of the Virginias
• First Bank & Trust
• Mount Rogers Health District
• Grayson County

Farming is an economic driver in southwest Virginia and recovery for agribusiness is essential for long-term, sustainable recovery after Helene. The federal government and commonwealth are here to support recovery for the whole community.

For additional disaster recovery resources, visit vaemergency.gov, the Virginia Department of Emergency Management Facebook page , fema.gov/disaster/4831 and facebook.com/FEMA.

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FEMA's mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters. FEMA Region 3's jurisdiction includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. Follow us on X at x.com/FEMAregion3 and on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/femaregion3.

To apply for FEMA assistance, please call the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362, visit https://www.disasterassistance.gov/, or download and apply on the FEMA App. If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA the number for that service. Multilingual operators are available (press 2 for Spanish and 3 for other languages). Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency, or economic status.