(NAFB.com) – Senate Ag Chair Debbie Stabenow called for emergency assistance for farmers, ranchers, and rural communities who suffered devastating losses in the wake of Hurricane Helene. “This is a horrible blow to farmers, ranchers, and rural communities across the Southeast just as the harvest season was getting started for many crops,” Stabenow says. “As Chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, I’m focused on ensuring that these farmers and ranchers get the emergency assistance they need to get back on their feet as soon as possible.” AccuWeather recently increased its estimate of the total damage and economic loss from Hurricane Helene from $145 billion to $160 billion. That number makes Hurricane Helene one of the costliest storms in United States history. Meantime, Stabenow encourages farmers and ranchers to report their losses to crop insurance agents and contact their local USDA offices for information on existing disaster assistance programs.