New Jersey Task Force 1 Urban Search and Rescue Team members conducted operations in Asheville and throughout Buncombe County, N.C., in October 2024. At least 250 people died in Hurricane Helene in six states. On Tuesday, the USDA said it would release $38.3 million in block grants for Helene recovery. File Photo by Madeleine Cook/FEMA | License Photo
Sept. 30 (UPI) -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Tuesday it will give more than $38.3 million in congressionally mandated recovery aid to South Carolina farmers through a block grant agreement with the South Carolina Department of Agriculture.
The money will help producers recover from this past year's Hurricane Helene.
Helene struck the southeastern states on Sept. 26, 2024, killing 230 people across six states. The storm flooded towns and destroyed homes across Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.
"Farmers and ranchers across the Southeast are still recovering from Hurricane Helene, and our team at USDA is working closely with states like South Carolina to quickly provide relief for farmers who have taken a financial hit due to no fault of their own," said Secretary Brooke Rollins in a statement. "President [Donald] Trump will not leave our farmers behind, and he has directed me and our team to ensure they have the resources they need to continue to produce the safest, most reliable, and most abundant food supply in the world."
