Farmers across the Southeast who were impacted by Hurricane Helene in 2024 can now apply for assistance through block grant programs in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. The programs help to provide relief for commodities and losses that are not covered under pre-existing United States Department of Agriculture programs.
The funding is part of the $30 billion disaster assistance relief effort authorized by the American Relief Act, 2025. USDA is working with 14 different states to develop and implement block grants to address disaster recovery needs.
Florida
Florida was the first state in the nation to finalize an agreement with USDA to implement the newly authorized disaster block grant program. More than $600 million in federal funding represents approximately 35 percent of Florida’s total agricultural losses and damage from the 2023 and 2024 hurricane seasons. Through the Florida Block Grant Disaster Relief Program, eligible agricultural producers can apply for grant funding to assist with infrastructure damage, market loss, citrus loss, and timber damage from recent hurricanes.
“Florida’s farmers, ranchers, and growers suffered billions of dollars in damages and losses during the 2023 and 2024 hurricane seasons, and this grant program offers them much-needed financial support,” says Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson. “I want to thank President Donald Trump and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins for always putting America’s farmers first. With their support, we’ve worked to get this funding to our producers as quickly as possible.”
Florida applications must be submitted by Aug. 25, 2026. Additional information on the program, including eligibility and documentation requirements, is available at FDACS.gov/BlockGrant.
Georgia
Aplications for Georgia’s Hurricane Helene Block Grant Program opened March 16, 2026, and will close at midnight on April 27, 2026. The application, eligibility requirements, guidance documents and additional details for Georgia farmers are available online at farmrecovery.com.
“While this relief will not make impacted producers 100 percent whole, it will go a long way to help farm families get back on their feet after the devastation of Hurricane Helene,” says Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler J Harper. “We invested thousands of hours into this process to ensure we brought the maximum amount of funding to Georgia while covering as many commodities and loss types as possible, and I want to thank the Trump Administration and USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins for understanding the critical need for financial relief following the devastation of Hurricane Helene.”
South Carolina
The South Carolina Department of Agriculture will use federal funding to issue $38 million in targeted aid to South Carolina farmers and forest landowners who sustained certain losses and damage from Hurricane Helene in 2024. The South Carolina Disaster Relief Block Grant for Helene will apply to the 33 counties and one tribal area that received a Presidential Disaster Declaration for Hurricane Helene.
“South Carolina’s farmers and forest landowners have worked tirelessly to recover from Helene’s devastation, and this funding will close crucial gaps to assure a future for their businesses,” says South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture Hugh Weathers. “A strong agriculture and forestry sector is essential to our state’s economy and security, and we’re committed to distributing this funding quickly. I’d like to thank South Carolina’s farmers and forest landowners who offered information and feedback, and US Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and her staff for their collaboration as we work to get this critical aid into the right hands.”
Information for South Carolina farmers is available online at agriculture.sc.gov/divisions/agency-operations/grants/helene.
By Joy Crosby