Hurricane Helene devastates Georgia farms

PERRY -- In the early hours of Friday, Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc on south, southeast, east and parts of central Georgia and made an exceptionally damaging impact on farms.

Affected producers are reporting yield losses ranging from 35% to total losses, depending on location in the state. Producers also are reporting significant losses in farm structures, equipment and infrastructure.

Official reports of losses will be released in the coming weeks as University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service personnel collect data. There is, however, no question that losses will be in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Losses will extend well beyond the farm, as cotton gins, other agribusinesses, and rural communities will feel the ripples of Hurricane Helene’s aftermath for years to come.

Producers are encouraged to document damage and losses before, during, and after cleanup as well as financial records of cleanup, repair, etc., as assistance and crop insurance may take some time. Industry leadership has been in touch with officials in Washington and Atlanta describing the effects of the storm. The Georgia Cotton Commission asks that the public continue to keep farmers, farming communities, and the families of those who lost their lives in their thoughts and prayers.

The Georgia Cotton Commission is a producer-funded organization located in Perry. The commission began in 1965. Georgia cotton producers pay an assessment enabling the commission to invest in programs of research, promotion, and education on behalf of all cotton producers of Georgia. For more information about cotton- and farm-related topics, call (478) 988-4235 or visit the web at www.georgiacottoncommission.org.