A website from UGA Cooperative Extension

Food, Agriculture, and Resource Economics

By Adam N. Rabinowitz

On Monday, October 22, 2018, the University of Georgia Tifton Campus hosted an information session for agricultural producers in response to Hurricane Michael.  The roughly 2-hour long program focused on disaster assistance information from U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) agencies including the Farm Service Agency (FSA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Rural Development (RD), Risk Management Agency (RMA), and National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).  Additional information was presented by the Georgia Forestry Commission, Southwest Georgia Farm Credit, and Georgia Department of Behavioral Health.  Congressman Austin Scott provided remarks and answered questions at the end of the session.

Presentation slides (where available) and a video of the event are provided in the links below.

Video of the disaster assistance information session (provided by The Georgia Peanut Commission)

Agenda:

  • Welcome by Tas Smith, State Executive Director, Farm Service Agency
  • Opening Comments by Adam Rabinowitz, Ag Economist (Moderator), University of Georgia
  • Farm Programs Update by Brett Martin, Chief, Farm Programs, Farm Service Agency (Presentation Slides)
  • Farm Loans Update by Dean Lewis, Farm Loan Specialist, Farm Service Agency (Presentation Slides)
  • NRCS Update by Terrance Rudolph, State Conservationist, National Resource Conservation Service (Presentation Slides)
  • RD Update by Joyce White, State Director, Rural Development
  • RMA Update by Davina Lee, Director, Valdosta Regional Office
  • NASS Update by Jim Ewing, Regional Director, National Agricultural Statistics Service (Presentation Slides)
  • GFC Update by Scott Griffin, Forest Management Chief, Georgia Forestry Commission
  • Loan Overview by Paxton Poitevint, Chief Executive Officer, Southwest Georgia Farm Credit
  • Health Related by Jennifer Dunn, Regional Services Administrator, Georgia Department of Behavioral Health
  • Congressional Update by Congressman Austin Scott
  • Wrap-Up by Adam Rabinowitz

Additional Resources:

University of Georgia Emergency Resources

NRCS disaster information page for Hurricane Michael.

Georgia Organics The Farmer Fund – support for farmers in the face of natural disasters.

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