Warner Robins Today

U.S. Representative Austin Scott, alongside House Agriculture Committee Chairman GT Thompson and other representatives, recently toured areas in South Georgia and North Florida to assess the damage caused by Hurricane Helene. The group included Rep. Kat Cammack from Florida's 3rd District, Rep. Darren Soto from Florida's 9th District, and Rep. Doug LaMalfa from California's 1st District.

Rep. Scott emphasized the need for aid: "Georgia’s farmers need help, and I appreciate the Chairman and others taking the time to meet with them firsthand so we can better work together for relief." He further mentioned efforts to draft disaster relief appropriations aimed at assisting farmers affected by the hurricane.

Chairman Thompson shared his observations from the visit: "Traveling to the Southeast I was able to gain firsthand insight into the devastating impact of the recent hurricanes. Hurricanes Milton and Helene caused significant damage and hit our agricultural sector especially hard, highlighting the urgent need for agricultural disaster relief."

The delegation visited a pecan orchard in Pearson, Georgia, as well as impacted poultry and pecan producers in Broxton. They also met with representatives from the University of Georgia and surveyed damaged poultry houses. According to estimates from the University of Georgia, Hurricane Helene has inflicted an economic loss of $6.46 billion on Georgia's agriculture industry.

Photos from their tour are available online.