Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced additional assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for producers affected by Hurricane Helene. The USDA has identified counties eligible for payments under the Hurricane Insurance Protection-Wind Index (HIP-WI) endorsement. Approved Insurance Providers (AIP) have 30 days to issue payments, although they often do so sooner.
Since its introduction in 2020, HIP-WI has been expanded to include a Tropical Storm Option (TS). For losses related to Hurricane Helene, over $233 million in indemnities will be distributed to producers. "Several states across the southeast experienced devastating damages from Hurricane Helene," said Secretary Vilsack. "The Biden-Harris Administration and USDA will support farmers through the recovery process for the long haul."
Estimated indemnities by state include $5 million for Alabama, $12.8 million for Florida, $207.7 million for Georgia, $4.1 million each for North Carolina and South Carolina, and $61,000 for Virginia.
These payments add to previous payouts totaling over $630 million in 2024 under HIP-WI and TS due to hurricanes Beryl, Debby, and Francine.
Deputy Secretary Torres Small visited South Carolina and Georgia as part of recovery efforts and highlighted available resources at a local family farm in South Carolina. In Georgia, she assisted with packing emergency food at Golden Harvest Food Bank alongside Feeding America.
The USDA is employing various strategies to expedite assistance distribution including contingency plans and program flexibilities. Currently, 215 responders are engaged in response efforts across several states.
Due to damage from hurricanes Helene and Debby, RMA authorized emergency procedures aimed at expediting indemnity payments by streamlining paperwork requirements.
For more information on these procedures or crop insurance policies such as HIP-WI which covers hurricane-related losses based on NOAA data triggers visit RMA’s website or contact an RMA Regional Office.
