Agronometrics: Georgia's agricultural industry suffers from the effects of Hurricane Helene

Hurricane Helene caused extensive damage to the fruit industry in the US state of Georgia in late September and its impact is now becoming apparent, with blueberries and citrus especially hard hit. The storm destroyed significant portions of these high-value crops, which are critical to Georgia's agricultural economy. In total, the loss of fruit trees contributed greatly to the estimated $5.5 billion in agricultural and timber damage. Blueberry production, a growing segment of Georgia agriculture, suffered widespread damage, with plants uprooted and irrigation systems destroyed. Citrus groves, a smaller but vital part of the state's fruit industry, also suffered significant losses, affecting farmers' ability to recover quickly. The damage to fruit crops highlights the overall vulnerability of Georgia's agricultural sector to extreme weather. But help is on the way. The Weathered But Strong Fund has raised $1 million to help farmers, prioritizing 60 disaster-affected parishes. The ...