Trump lands at Robins, visits Georgia State Farmers Market on tour of Hurricane Michael damage

During a visit to Macon on Monday, President Donald Trump was told that Georgia farmers suffered “generational losses” as a result of Hurricane Michael.

Trump asked for further explanation.

“I don’t like the sound of generational damage,” he said. “What does that mean and how long does that take to get back?”

Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, former Georgia governor, said pecan trees typically take seven years to produce and 10 years to become profitable.

“Many pecan trees across the state in southwest Georgia have toppled,” Perdue told the president. “They were looking for a bumper crop — cotton, pecans and peanuts — and the devastation there is heart breaking.”

The visit was part of a tour of damage done by Hurricane Michael last week. Monday morning Trump visited the Florida Panhandle, which took the brunt of the storm.

“It was brutal,” Trump said. “They haven’t seen anything like it.”

He said while the storm destroyed many homes and building in Florida, the damage in Georgia was mostly to crops.

Trump, Perdue, Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal, Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black and Brock Long, the director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, praised the hurricane response before a group of press at the Macon State Farmers Market. Long said it’s too soon to put a dollar figure on the damage.

Trump visited with dozens of Red Cross volunteers at the farmer’s market and thanked them for their efforts in responding to the storm.

Air Force One landed at Robins Air Force Base at about 4 p.m. after the Florida tour.

The presidential motorcade traveled up Hawkinsville Road to Macon where people were scattered all along the way and waved. Some held pro-Trump signs. Law enforcement officers blocked every road and many driveways. Bibb County Sheriff David David said several counties sent personnel to help with the effort.

On the return trip the motorcade veered off to the east side of the road near Middle Georgia Regional Airport and pulled into a farm where about a dozen farmers impacted by the storm were gathered. Trump greeted each one, including Bart Davis of Doerun.

Davis told Trump that he lost about 75 percent of his cotton.

Davis said afterward he drove about two hours to see Trump and appreciated his visit.

“He’s a good president,” Davis said. “He takes care of his people.”

This story was originally published October 15, 2018 at 10:55 AM with the headline "Trump lands at Robins, visits Georgia State Farmers Market on tour of Hurricane Michael damage."