The federal government will distribute $800 million in aid to farmers in Florida, Alabama and Georgia that were hit by hurricanes Michael and Florence last year, the Department of Agriculture announced on Friday.
The big picture: The department will distribute the money in grants as part of a $3 billion disaster aid package approved by Congress earlier this year to help communities recovering from a variety of natural disasters. The aid will help agricultural producers in southern states "get back on their feet and prepare for next year’s planting and harvest," per Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue.
Short-form video app TikTok is under political scrutiny in the U.S. for its possible ties to the Chinese government, with Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) calling the company "China's best detective." We dig into the controversy with Sen. Blackburn.
