Farmers and other agricultural producers in Georgia will get financial aid to help with recovery from Hurricane Helene, the massive storm that wiped out crops and timberland more than a year ago.

Georgia and U.S. agriculture officials announced Tuesday that the state will receive $531,236,000 from the U.S. government for a Hurricane Helene Block Grant Program.

It is “funding to provide much-needed relief to impacted farmers and producers,” Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper said in a statement, adding that the money “is absolutely essential to help our farm families bounce back” from the devastation.

The Georgia Department of Agriculture spent hundreds of hours in negotiations to secure the money from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, he said, praising Brooke Rollins, President Donald Trump’s agriculture secretary, for the collaboration.

Harper said the grants will cover infrastructure and timber losses as well as future economic losses. Gov. Brian Kemp said in a post on X that the proceeds will cover as many farmers as possible, calling the outcome “great news.”

Helene wreaked at least $5.5 billion in damage to crops, ranches, poultry houses, orchards and timberland.

Congress passed a bipartisan relief package in December earmarking $21 billion for affected farmers in Georgia and other states. The federal package also was in response to other natural disasters.

Kemp also redirected $100 million from a state capital projects fund to help farmers and timberland owners. Then, in March, the General Assembly set aside $867 million for disaster relief as part of the fiscal 2025 mid-year budget.

Capitol Beat is a nonprofit news service operated by the Georgia Press Educational Foundation that provides coverage of state government to newspapers throughout Georgia. For more information visit capitol-beat.org.