Blackburn, Joins Bipartisan Effort to Expedite Disaster Assistance to Farmers Following Hurricane Helene
March 10, 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) and Representatives Chuck Edwards (R-N.C.) and Don Davis (D-N.C.), sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins urging the department to publish clear guidelines on administering disaster relief aid for farmers.
Hurricanes Helene and Milton Caused Catastrophic Damages to Crops, Livestock, and Agricultural Infrastructure
“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 disperse this assistance. As you know, these natural disasters have caused irreparable damage to commodity and specialty crops, livestock, forestlands, and infrastructure, leaving farmers, ranchers, and foresters in desperate need of support. As the backbone of rural America, our workers in the agriculture and forestry industries desperately need access to the emergency funding Congress provided.”
Additional Clarity from USDA on Disaster Payments Would Help More Tennessee Farmers Receive the Assistance They Need
“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. 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. Lack of clarity in the rulemaking process for natural disaster programs will prevent many farmers from fully utilizing the aid.”
CO-SIGNERS
The letter is also signed by Senators Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Representatives David Rouzer (R-N.C.), Richard Hudson (R-N.C.), Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), Greg Murphy, M.D. (R-N.C.), Tim Moore (R-N.C.), Deborah Ross (D-N.C.), Brad Knott (R-N.C.), Pat Harrigan (R-N.C.), Addison McDowell (R-N.C.), Austin Scott (R-Ga.), Sanford Bishop Jr. (D-Ga.), Buddy Carter (R-Ga.), David Scott (D-Ga.), Rick Allen (R-Ga.), Morgan Griffith (R-Va.), Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.), Kathy Castor (D-Fla.), and Scott Franklin (R-Fla.).
Full text of the letter can be found here.
