Columbia S.C. – Governor Henry McMaster and Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette announced the launch of Farm and Forest Recovery Resource Days, which will assist South Carolina’s farming and forestry communities affected by Hurricane Helene.

Acting as 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 6th.

Damage assessments completed by the S.C. Department of Agriculture and S.C. Forestry Commission estimated 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. This 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.