Monday, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) joined Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08), President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Governor Nathan Deal, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black, and U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen for a briefing on Hurricane Michael recovery efforts held at the Red Cross’s temporary disaster operations center in Macon, Georgia.

Tuesday, Congressman Bishop, Secretary Perdue, and Commissioner Black were joined by Vice President Mike Pence as they met with farmers and agribusinesses in some the hardest hit areas of Southwest Georgia.

“Responding to natural disasters and helping our communities recover is a responsibility we all share regardless of ideology or political affiliation,” said Congressman Bishop. “We need robust and expedient assistance, and I am working tirelessly to secure relief for all those impacted by Hurricane Michael. Agriculture was particularly devastated by Hurricane Michael, causing enormous damage to Georgia’s pecan, cotton, and peanut crop. Some farmers are facing a total loss.”

Tuesday’s meetings with impacted farmers and agribusinesses helped inform the ongoing federal response to Hurricane Michael, which struck Middle and Southwest Georgia on October 10, 2018.

The hurricane caused significant destruction in the region, and a federal disaster declaration was formally issued on October 14, 2018. A federal emergency declaration was previously issued on October 11, 2018.