RICHMOND—The Virginia Farm Recovery Block Grant Program has reopened to agricultural producers and timber owners whose operations were impacted by Hurricane Helene.
Gov. Abigail Spanberger recently announced a renewed opportunity for affected farmers and landowners to apply for assistance if they missed the initial application period for recovery funds.
The Category 4 storm made landfall in northern Florida and ripped through six states in late September 2024, catching Southwest Virginia by surprise, leaving an estimated $159 million in damage across farms and forestland. Helene’s strong winds and floodwaters toppled trees, destroyed farm fences and submerged cropland, sweeping livestock, equipment and supplies downriver. The U.S. Department of Agriculture extended almost $61 million in federal disaster aid funding to Virginia farmers, covering losses of infrastructure, timber or income related to Helene.
Some eligible farmers and forestland owners did not apply for relief funding in the first round. To ensure that all eligible producers and timber owners have an opportunity to receive disaster assistance, the grant application portal is reopening.
The Virginia Farm Recovery Block Grant Program application portal reopens April 27 and closes July 1. Applications will be available for producers across the 21 counties and six independent cities that were placed under a federal disaster declaration due to the storm.
“I would encourage any farmer who is negatively impacted by Hurricane Helene to apply for the recovery block grant funds if they haven’t already,” said Tony Banks, senior assistant director of agriculture, development and innovation at Virginia Farm Bureau Federation.
The grant program is administered by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services in coordination with the Virginia Department of Forestry and Virginia Cooperative Extension.
“Agriculture and forestry are major economic drivers for the Virginia communities impacted by Helene,” said secretary of agriculture and forestry Katie Frazier. “The Virginia Farm Recovery Block grant provides direct funding for losses not covered by other federal disaster assistance programs. Reopening the Virginia Farm Recovery Block Grant is vital to the rebuilding process by ensuring all eligible producers have ample opportunity to apply for this valuable assistance.”
Farmers and timber owners with verifiable agricultural or forest losses can learn more by clicking the grant alert banner at vdacs.virginia.gov; or email DisasterRecoveryGrants@vdacs.virginia.gov with general questions.
To aid producers in the application process, VDACS will hold an in-person training session at 10 a.m. on May 1 at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center in Abingdon. Or visit vdacs.virginia.gov to register for the virtual session.
Media: Contact Banks at 804-290-1114, or Michael Wallace, VDACS communications, at 804-786-1904.
