South Carolina Disaster Relief Block Grant for Helene

The South Carolina Department of Agriculture (SCDA), led by Commissioner Hugh E. Weathers, will administer the South Carolina Disaster Relief Block Grant for Helene, which has allocated $38 million in federal funds. This program is designed to assist South Carolina farmers and forest landowners who experienced losses due to Hurricane Helene in 2024. The grant targets damages not covered by USDA programs or crop insurance, providing critical support to agricultural producers impacted by the disaster. This initiative includes five key categories of eligible losses: timber, infrastructure, aquaculture, market losses, and future economic losses. For timber, applicants must have owned the property at the time of the storm and demonstrate at least 10 contiguous acres with significant tree damage. Infrastructure support includes damaged on-farm structures, above-ground irrigation, aquaculture facilities, and farm roads—all requiring at least $750 in damage. Market losses must show at least a 5% loss directly tied to crop production due to the unavailability of markets. Future economic loss claims cover perennial crops or shellfish that take years to mature and were impacted by the hurricane, with at least a 5% crop loss. Eligibility is limited to producers located in one of the 33 counties or the Catawba Indian Nation area that received a Presidential Disaster Declaration. Producers must have had a production risk or ownership stake in the affected property or products. Additional requirements include U.S. citizenship or qualifying resident status, and business formation under U.S. law. Applicants must also agree to maintain USDA crop insurance or NAP coverage for certain future years. The application process will be conducted entirely online, with training resources made available. While the application period is not yet open, it is expected to begin by the end of 2025 and remain open for 60 days. Producers are strongly encouraged to begin preparing their materials in advance, including obtaining an FSA number (required for farmers but not forest landowners), tax parcel documentation, and verified loss records. All funds received through this program will be taxable, and recipients will receive a 1099 form. Questions regarding the program can be directed to the SCDA at disaster@scda.sc.gov. The grant is not available statewide but is confined to specifically declared disaster areas within South Carolina. Additional information and updates will be provided via email to those who sign up for notifications through the SCDA site.

Begin documentation early; verify eligibility; crop insurance required for some categories.