Lawmakers hold special session for farmers devastated by Hurricane Michael

Some state lawmakers are meeting Tuesday in a special session to discuss funding for rural farmers who were devastated by Hurricane Michael.

[PHOTOS: Damage to Georgia agriculture from Hurricane Michael]

State representative Clay Pirkle knows this session is important to farmers because he is one. He told Channel 2's Dave Huddleston that he was in the field as the storm roared through Georgia, destroying farms in the southwestern part of the state.

Pirkle said he was trying to pick cotton as fast as he could as the rain and winds began to pick up.  He said he lost more than half his crop and several buildings were destroyed on his 1,000 acre farm.

[PHOTOS: Southwest Georgia still recovering month after Hurricane Michael]

Pirkle was just one of hundreds of rural farmers who lost hundreds of millions of dollars from the storm that wiped out entire communities.

Governor Nathan Deal called lawmakers back to the capitol for a special session to financially help farmers with financial loans and infrastructure repairs.

"It's been devastating on cotton farmers and in our area pecan, timber also,” Pirkle said. “It's been the largest most important industry in the state of Georgia… is agriculture and I’m proud to represent the industry,” Pirkle said.

HURRICANE MICHAEL TIMELINE

Oct. 7- Hurricane Michael forms in the Atlantic Ocean as a tropical storm.

Oct. 10- Hurricane Michael makes landfall near Mexico Beach, Florida as a Category 4, according to Severe Weather Team 2.

Oct. 15- President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump visit the areas hit the hardest in southwest Georgia. 

Oct. 16- Vice President Mike Pence travels to south Georgia and meets with farmers whose crops were destroyed by Michael. 

Oct. 23- Gov. Deal calls for special session over storm costs related to Michael.

Nov. 13- A special session will be held by the Georgia Legislature to address funding.

Cox Media Group