TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) – The federal government announced $800 million in aid Friday to farmers in three southern states that were devastated by last year’s hurricanes.
Nearly half that money will go to Florida, where timber farmers suffered catastrophic losses when Hurricane Michael came ashore in October 2018 and destroyed 2.8 million acres of commercially grown trees.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture said the funding also will help Alabama and Georgia cover hurricane losses in the timber, cattle and poultry industries.
The money, which will be distributed as block grants to communities, is part of a $3 billion disaster relief package authorized by Congress earlier this year to help communities recovering from wildfires, flooding, tornadoes and hurricanes.
“Natural disasters dealt producers some hefty blows in the past couple of years,” a statement from Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue says. “While we can’t make producers whole, we can give them a helping hand to get back on their feet and prepare for next year’s planting and harvest.”