Rep. Cammack Leads Colleagues In Letter To Sec. Vilsack About Hurricane Helene
GAINESVILLE, FL — Congresswoman Kat Cammack led 14 of her colleagues in a letter to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack about needed USDA actions to support farmers and rural communities devastated by Hurricane Helene. The letter requests FSA strike teams, the use of more accurate rainfall data, and disaster aid provided through block grants.
Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida's Big Bend region at the end of September and made its way through the southeastern United States, impacting Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee.
"We write to request that the U.S. Department of Agriculture to take swift action to support our farmers and rural communities affected by Hurricane Helene. Specifically, we request that the USDA deploy Farm Service Agency (FSA) strike teams to the hardest-hit areas, providing much-needed personnel to assist with recovery efforts. Additionally, we urge the Risk Management Agency (RMA) to collaborate with local stakeholders and utilize regional rainfall data to ensure more accurate assessments for damage and crop insurance claims. Finally, we request that USDA disaster aid be provided to affected states through block grants. This will allow states the flexibility to administer relief tailored to the specific needs of their producers and communities. These actions will be critical to ensuring a swift and effective recovery for our agricultural communities," write the lawmakers in the letter.
Florida Reps. Neal Dunn, Aaron Bean, Gus Bilirakis, Byron Donalds, Scott Franklin, Laurel Lee, Cory Mills, Mike Waltz, and Daniel Webster joined Rep. Cammack on the letter. Reps. Rick Allen, Austin Scott, and Buddy Carter of Georgia, Virginia Foxx of North Carolina, and Morgan Griffith of Virginia also joined.
Read the letter here.
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