ALBANY, Ga. — Vice President Mike Pence visited southwest Georgia to survey storm damage from Hurricane Michael, a day after President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump did the same thing.
Channel 2 Action News was the only local station with Pence as he toured parts hit the hardest and met with farmers from Albany to Bainbridge.
Our photographer also traveled with Pence for an aerial tour on the Marine Osprey helicopter.
“It’s not going to go unnoticed in this administration and we’re going to make sure the people of this region will have the support to rebuild," Pence said.
Gov. Nathan Deal, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, U.S. Sens. Johnny Isakson and David Perdue and U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop joined Pence during his visit.
VP Mike Pence touring storm damageHAPPENING NOW: Vice President Mike Pence is touring storm damage in SW Georgia - 2wsb.tv/2PDFFiO
Posted by WSB-TV on Tuesday, October 16, 2018
Pence and his wife Karen Pence headed to the Sunbelt Agricultural Expo in Moultrie after they landed around 10:30 a.m. in Georgia.
"I expect today we’ll also help the American people understand that we’ve got a great challenge in one of the most prolific agricultural areas in America," Pence said.
Channel 2 continued with Pence as he stopped by a pecan orchard and saw what is being called "generational damage" done to pecan trees there.
Experts say that even if new trees were planted today, it would take between 17 and 25 years for them to start producing a usable crop.
VP Mike Pence visits SW GAHAPPENING NOW: Vice President Mike Pence is in southwest Georgia to tour storm damage. LIVE coverage all day on Channel 2 Action News. https://2wsb.tv/2PDFFiO
Posted by WSB-TV on Tuesday, October 16, 2018
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On Monday, the Trumps visited a Red Cross center in Macon and spoke with local cotton, peanut and pecan farmers. The president said he would ask Congress for additional disaster aid funding.
Trump has issued a disaster declaration for Georgia and ordered federal aid for parts of the Peach State affected by the storm. The president's decision makes certain federal funding available, including grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs. Federal funding will also be made available to state and local government agencies and nonprofit groups on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work in many counties.
Information from our partners at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and AJC.com was used in this report
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