Calls on Congressional Delegation to Support $621 Million in Federal Emergency Relief for S.C. Agriculture Related Storm Damage

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Governor Henry McMaster and Lieutenant Governor Pamela S. Evette today announced the launch of Farm and Forest Recovery Resource Days, which will provide South Carolina’s farming and forestry communities affected by Hurricane Helene with a one-stop shop to learn about available assistance and services. Farm and Forest Recovery Resource Days will take place in Aiken on Friday, November 15, Greenville on Thursday, November 21, and Myrtle Beach on Friday, December 6.  

Damage assessments completed by the S.C. Department of Agriculture and S.C. Forestry Commission estimate the total financial damage to South Carolina’s agribusiness industry from Hurricane Helene, Tropical Storm Debby, and this summer’s flash drought to be $621 million. 

In response, Governor McMaster today wrote a letter to members of the South Carolina Congressional Delegation requesting their support in securing federal funding through a block grant to the S.C. Department of Agriculture that would allow additional resources to be deployed to affected farming and forestry communities across the state. 

“These staggering losses represent a critical blow to an industry already contending with rising inflation, labor shortages, and market pressures. The future of hundreds of agricultural operations is at risk, and without timely intervention, we face the prospect of long-term harm to the livelihoods of families who sustain our rural communities and contribute significantly to South Carolina’s prosperity and heritage,” Governor McMaster wrote in his letter. 

Farm and Forest Recovery Resource Days will include representation from the following agencies: 

• AgSouth – Providing information on loans, crop insurance, and leases for farms, equipment, timber industry, and agribusiness.
• Clemson University Extension – Assisting people in finding resources to support farm-related business decisions during storm recovery.
• Farmer Veteran Coalition of S.C. – Connecting Veteran farmers to technical resources, grants, and educational opportunities.
• Federal Emergency Management Agency – Providing information on registering for financial assistance related to the storm.
• Internal Revenue Service – Providing information on available federal tax law disaster relief provisions.
• Small Business Administration – Providing assistance regarding Business Start-Up, SBA Lending, and Federal Contracting.
• S.C. Conservation Bank – Providing information on agriculture land grants.
• S.C. Department of Agriculture – Will be on-site for support and discussion.
• S.C. Department of Commerce – Providing companies with information on services like small business resources, innovation, trade, recycling, industry support, and emergency management.
• S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce – Providing information on housing inspections on any storm-damaged employer-owned housing in advance of Foreign Labor Application Gateway applications and on unemployment benefits, including Disaster Unemployment Assistance and employer services.
• S.C. Department of Environmental Service – Assisting farms and tree producers with options for storm debris management, well water sampling, and regulated dam issues.
• S.C. Department of Insurance – Providing information on insurance claims, coverage, and fraud prevention.
• S.C. Department of Mental Health – Providing information on available mental health services.
• S.C. Department of Natural Resources – Supports local Soil and Water Conservation Districts that provide conservation technical assistance to South Carolina farmers and tree producers and help identify funding opportunities. 
• S.C. Department of Veterans’ Affairs – Providing referrals for identified Veterans and their families that are available through the South Carolina Veteran Coalition.
• S.C. Emergency Management Division – Providing information on state-level planning for recovery and grant and assistance program availability and eligibility.
• S.C. Forestry Commission – Providing forest landowners management support, including timber damage assessment, salvage harvesting, replanting guidance, information on financial assistance for repairs, and fee-based services like firebreak plowing and prescribed burning.
• S.C. Office of Resilience – Providing case managers to assist eligible citizens with disaster-caused unmet needs.
• S.C. Small Business Development Centers – Providing no-fee private consulting to help small and mid-sized farm businesses impacted by disasters with recovery planning, financing, damage assessment, and other recovery needs.
• S.C. State University – Providing technical services, support, and guidance on recovery in areas like agriculture, forestry, health, families, natural resources, youth development and more.
• USDA Farm Services Agency – Providing information on disaster programs offering cost-share assistance and emergency loans to help farmers and producers recover from land, crop, and livestock losses due to a natural disaster.
• USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service – Providing financial and technical assistance information to farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners.
• Other federal, state, and local nonprofit organizations. 

WHO: Gov. McMaster, officials from state and federal agencies, and other local organizations

WHAT: Farm and Forest Recovery Resource Days

WHEN AND WHERE:

• Friday, November 15, 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM
  University of South Carolina Aiken Campus, Student Activities Center, 488 Scholar Loop, Aiken, S.C. 
   
• Thursday, November 21, 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM
  Greenville Technical College, Student Success Center, 506 S. Pleasantburg Drive, Greenville, S.C.  
   
• Friday, December 6, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
  S.C. Farm Bureau Federation Annual Meeting at Embassy Suites at Kingston Plantation, 9800 Queensway Boulevard, Myrtle Beach, S.C.