10/08/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/08/2024 14:34
Washington, DC - Congressman Neal Dunn (FL-02) and 14 colleagues have formally requested urgent action from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to aid farmers and rural communities devastated by Hurricane Helene. In a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, the bipartisan group of lawmakers outlined specific steps to ensure a swift and effective recovery for agricultural producers across the Southeast.
"Hurricane Helene has caused significant damage to our agricultural communities, and it's vital that we act quickly to support the recovery process," said Congressman Dunn. "I'm calling on USDA to deploy Farm Service Agency (FSA) strike teams, utilize local rainfall data for accurate damage assessments, and provide disaster aid through state block grants to give our states the flexibility to address their unique needs."
The letter emphasized three key actions:
The letter was led by Congresswoman Kat Cammack and co-signed by Florida Representatives Neal Dunn, Aaron Bean, Gus Bilirakis, Byron Donalds, Scott Franklin, Laurel Lee, Cory Mills, Mike Waltz, and Daniel Webster, along with Rep. Kat Cammack. Additional signatories included Reps. Rick Allen, Austin Scott, and Buddy Carter of Georgia, Virginia Foxx of North Carolina, and Morgan Griffith of Virginia.
Read the full letter here.