Agricultural damage from Hurricane Helene is being evaluated this week around the southeast.

At a press conference Sunday, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp said they expect the damage toll to be worse than Hurricane Michael in 2018. “We know we have 107 poultry facilities damaged or totally destroyed, 15 dairies that have been affected and dozens and dozens of other facilities,” said Kemp. “Literally every commodity in the state has been damaged by this storm.”

House Agriculture Committee member Rep. Austin Scott (R-GA) pledged he will get relief for farmers at the federal level. “When we get back to Washington there will be a bipartisan disaster relief package passed,” said Scott.

State agriculture commissioner Tyler Harper said they are working to assess losses as quickly as possible but he stressed that farmers need to document any damage. “We’re going to do everything we can to get our ag industry back on its feet as quickly as possible,” said Harper, urging others to “pray for our farm families…we have a lot of folks hurting across our state.”

Agricultural damage is also being evaluated in Florida, North and South Carolina, and Tennessee.

Read more about the damage in Georgia in this post from Jennifer Whittaker, Georgia Farm Bureau, and listen to comments from Gov. Kemp, Rep. Scott, and Commissioner Harper below.

GA Gov. Brian Kemp - Helene damage (:30)
Rep. Austin Scott - Helene damage (1:18)
GA Ag Commissioner Harper - Helene damage (4:05)