Georgia Mountain News

Rep. Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (R-GA) joined Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and Rep. Austin Scott (R-GA) in advocating for disaster relief funding to support the agricultural industry in the Southeastern United States following Hurricane Helene.

Carter, along with Georgia’s entire congressional delegation, collaborated with a bipartisan group of 34 lawmakers from Southeastern states. They urged congressional leadership and the Biden administration to provide disaster relief resources to agricultural producers affected by Hurricane Helene.

In their letter, the members stated: “To prevent deep and lasting economic damage to the agricultural industry in the southeastern United States, it is imperative that Congress make appropriations as soon as possible upon the completion of damage assessments to fully fund unmet agricultural disaster relief needs in our states and across the nation."

The letter continued: “Farmers and growers nationwide, not only those damaged by Helene, have now faced multiple growing seasons without sufficient federal support. Our constituents are counting on us to act swiftly.”

Other signatories included Sens. Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Reps. Sanford D. Bishop Jr. (D-GA), Drew Ferguson (R-GA), Hank Johnson (D-GA), Nikema Williams (D-GA), Rich McCormick (R-GA), Lucy McBath (D-GA), Andrew Clyde (R-GA), Mike Collins (R-GA), Barry Loudermilk (R-GA), Rick Allen (R-GA), David Scott (D-GGA-13)), Marjorie Taylor Greene(R-11th district)), Darren Soto(D-FL-9th)), Maxwell Frost(D-FL-10th)), Kathy Castor(D-FL-14th)), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick(D-FL-20th)), Jared Moskowitz(D-FL-23rd)), Frederica Wilson(D-FL-24th)), Morgan McGarvey(1st KY District)), Don Davis(NC-District 1)) Deborah Ross(NC-District 2)) Greg Murphy(R-NC)) Kathy Manning(North Carolina's 6th Congressional District)) Dan Bishop(8TH NC District)) Chuck Edwards(11th NC district)) Alma Adams(12TH NC DISTRICT )) Wiley Nickel(North Carolina's 13th Congressional District )) Jeff Jackson(D-NC)) Diana Harshbarger(Tennessee's 1st congressional district))

Hurricane Helene recently made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 hurricane before moving through Georgia and downgrading to a tropical storm affecting South Carolina, North Carolina, Kentucky, and Tennessee — significantly impacting agricultural sectors.

“Federal agricultural disaster assistance is essential to help our States and our Nation recover. We urge you to work with the administration to ensure disaster relief resources are made available to our growers,” wrote the members.