Was Your Farm Affected by Hurricane Helene? Help Is Coming
September 30, 2024 
Powerful Category 4 Hurricane Helene as seen from high above as it makes landfall in Florida’s Big Bend area near Perry on Sept. 26, 2024.
Image courtesy of NOAA
It’s interesting how Mother Nature can repeat itself. It can be downright devastating when the recurrent pattern involves extreme weather events. While Florida’s Big Bend region is no stranger to hurricanes, having three landfalling storms (2 major) in a matter of 13 months classifies as a bit excessive. Hurricane Helene slammed into an already battered area with Category 4 force late last week. The immense path of destruction is still playing out as folks dig out from calamity — up to hundreds of miles away.
Along the storm’s path were numerous farming operations. Researchers at University of Florida are conducting an agricultural assessment survey in the wake of Hurricane Helene. Information gathered will be used to study the agricultural losses and damages from the storm.
The team recently provided preliminary damage figures for Hurricane Debby, which struck the Big Bend in early August as a Category 1 storm. The preliminary UF/IFAS Economic Impact Analysis Program (EIAP) report put agricultural production losses in the state due to Hurricane Debby have an estimated value between $93.7 million and $263.2 million. One would suspect the damage estimates would be markedly higher with Helene as it was a major hurricane upon landfall.
Though Hurricane Helene was the larger and stronger of the two storms, it was more of a wind and surge event for Florida. The system moved at a rapid pace upon approach and after landfall. Catastrophic storm surge inundated coastal areas, as well as inland rivers and tributaries. But overall rainfall amounts were relatively minimal in Florida leading up to landfall. The storm unleashed torrents of rainfall once in trekked further north, triggering flash floods in the mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee.
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson recently announced Florida farmers, ranchers, and growers impacted by Hurricane Helene can apply for interest-free loans through the Agriculture and Aquaculture Producers Natural Disaster Recovery Loan Program. Loans can be used by eligible agriculture and aquaculture producers to restore, repair, or replace essential physical property — including fences, equipment, greenhouses, and other buildings — or to remove vegetative debris.
Impacted producers are encouraged to take photos of any property damage sustained from Hurricane Helene and to save all receipts for recovery efforts and supplies. More details on the application process are available by clicking here.
Agriculture and Aquaculture Producers Natural Disaster Recovery Loan Program Specs
- Interest-free loans up to $500,000 for eligible agriculture and aquaculture producers that have experienced damage or destruction from Hurricane Helene.
- Loans may be used to restore, repair, or replace essential physical property, including fences, equipment, greenhouses, and other buildings, or to remove vegetative debris.
Producers that were previously awarded funds for damages from Hurricane Debby may be eligible to apply for damage sustained from Helene, too.
According to a statement released by the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association (FFVA), early indications are most produce growers were spared the worst of Hurricane Helene.
“While Hurricane Helene brought heavy rains, high winds and historic, dangerous storm surge to the Big Bend and Western Peninsula regions of Florida last week, the most intensive impacts were not felt by many of Florida’s fruit and vegetable growers. Early reports indicate no widespread, significant impacts to crops – although a limited number of growers in the Big Bend region saw their operations disrupted and are still assessing impacts. The storm’s path and timing of Florida’s harvest season helped in that respect.
“Many of our neighbors, families and friends, especially those to our north, were not as fortunate, and we are lifting these hard-hit communities up in our prayers.”
USDA Help For After the Storm
USDA has partnered with FEMA and other disaster-focused organizations to create a Disaster Resource Center. This information portal pulls from a searchable knowledge base of disaster-related resources. In addition, USDA also developed a disaster assistance discovery tool specifically targeted to rural and agricultural issues. The tool walks producers through five questions that generate personalized results identifying which USDA disaster assistance programs can help them recover from a natural disaster. Click here for more details.
Was your farm operation impacted by Hurricane Helene? Do you know someone who was? Share your story by leaving a comment below.
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