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Ossof Press

U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is continuing to call on the Trump Administration to swiftly distribute Federal disaster assistance for Georgia farmers that Congress secured after Hurricane Helene.

Today, Sen. Ossoff, alongside a bipartisan, bicameral group, is calling on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to quickly disburse the $21 billion in agricultural disaster funding provided for farmers by Congress at the end of last year.

“Following the destruction caused by recent natural disasters, including the catastrophic damages caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, our agricultural producers are heavily relying on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to efficiently and fairly disburse this assistance,” Sen. Ossoff and the bipartisan group wrote to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. “As the backbone of rural America, our workers in the agriculture and forestry industries desperately need access to the emergency funding Congress provided.”

According to the USDA, in 2023, farm income dropped by $34.6 billion from the previous year, and in 2024, farm income dropped another $8.2 billion.

“Producers from vulnerable agriculture communities that were hit hard by these recent natural disasters are at risk of greatly downsizing or having to shut down their operations if the agricultural disaster relief funding is not fully accessible in the upcoming months,” Sen. Ossoff and the bipartisan group continued. “Clear direction and quick action from the USDA on disaster payment structure would provide certainty and, in many cases, a lifeline for farmers to continue their operations.”

Sen. Ossoff continues to champion relief for Georgia’s farmers.

Last month, Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock urged U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins to prioritize the swift distribution of Federal economic assistance to Georgia farmers by March 21, 2025, as passed through Congress.

In January, Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock urged U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins to prioritize the swift distribution of the $21 billion in Federal disaster assistance to Georgia farmers as passed by Congress late last year for farmers impacted by Hurricane Helene.

In November 2024, Sen. Ossoff testified to the Senate Committee on Appropriations, emphasizing Georgia farmers’ need for disaster relief payments following Hurricane Helene.

Click here to read the letter.