Memphis Standard

U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn, Ted Budd, and Raphael Warnock, along with Representatives Chuck Edwards and Don Davis, have taken a bipartisan initiative to expedite disaster assistance for farmers affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. They have addressed a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, urging the department to establish clear guidelines for administering disaster relief aid.

The senators and representatives highlighted the severe impact of these hurricanes on crops, livestock, and agricultural infrastructure. "Following the destruction caused by recent natural disasters, including the catastrophic damages caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, our agricultural producers are heavily relying on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to efficiently and fairly disperse this assistance," they stated in their letter.

The letter emphasizes the urgency of providing clarity from USDA on disaster payments to ensure that farmers can access necessary assistance promptly. "Producers from vulnerable agriculture communities that were hit hard by these recent natural disasters are at risk of greatly downsizing or having to shut down their operations if the agricultural disaster relief funding is not fully accessible in the upcoming months," it warns.

The effort has garnered additional support from other legislators including Senators Thom Tillis, Shelley Moore Capito, Jim Justice, Jon Ossoff, Mark Warner, Tim Kaine; and Representatives David Rouzer, Richard Hudson, Virginia Foxx among others.

A full text of the letter is available for public access.