In Tuesday’s Senate Agriculture Committee hearing, Senator Reverend Warnock advanced bipartisan priorities aimed at bolstering Georgia’s forests

The legislative priorities help strengthen Georgia’s nation-leading forestry industry by providing state forestry agencies an active role in national wildfire preparedness and authorizing a study on the designation of the Benton MacKaye Trail as a National Scenic Trail

Georgia is the nation’s #1 forestry state

Senator Warnock: “I’m proud to advance these bipartisan priorities to help ensure Georgia’s forest landowners are better protected from natural disasters, and so the people of Georgia can continue to enjoy our forests and green spaces for generations to come”

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) successfully advanced bipartisan priorities aimed at bolstering Georgia’s forests. Senator Warnock offered an amendment during the committee markup to the Fix Our Forests Act (FOFA)that would provide state forestry agencies’ a more active role in the federal government’s effort to shore up wildfire preparedness. Senator Warnock also advanced his Benton MacKaye Trail Feasibility Study Act, a bill that would authorize a feasibility study on the designation of the Benton MacKaye Trail as a National Scenic Trail (NST) within the National Trails System. More information HERE.

During the markup, Senator Warnock highlighted his Disaster Reforestation Act, a bill that would amend the tax code to allow forest landowners to deduct the value of their timber prior to the loss caused by a natural disaster. Currently, forest landowners receive no guaranteed federal funding from disaster relief. The fix would provide permanent assurances and help landowners recover when their timber crops are destroyed by a natural disaster. The legislation was considered, but not voted on, during the markup.

“Georgia’s forests are vital to our state’s economy,” said Senator Warnock. “I’m proud to advance these bipartisan priorities to help ensure Georgia’s forest landowners are better protected from natural disasters, and so the people of Georgia can continue to enjoy our forests and green spaces for generations to come.”

State foresters play a significant role in wildfire preparedness, particularly in Georgia and throughout the Southeastern U.S. Senator Warnock’s amendment to the FOFA would ensure state forestry agencies have a voice in a new interagency National Hub, the Wildland Fire Intelligence Center, cementing state foresters’ role as voting members in the federal governing board.

The bipartisan Benton MacKaye National Scenic Trail Feasibility Study Act of 2025  would authorize a review of the regionally renowned trail to be designated a NST. The legislation is the first step toward granting federal designation of nearly 300-mile-long walking path along the Appalachian Mountains that connects Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina. Upon completion of the feasibility study, Congress may then add the trail to the National Trails System, ultimately connecting new communities through a federally protected footpath that will improve mobility for Americans traveling in and between Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina. 

Senator Warnock has long fought for federal funding for farmers and forest landowners in Georgia. After Hurricane Helene, Senator Warnock remained on the frontlines of response efforts and pushed to deliver additional disaster assistance to Georgians, particularly Georgia’s hard-hit agricultural communities. Georgia is the leading forestry state in the nation, leading in commercially available timberland, volume of timber harvested, exports of forest products, seedling production for reforestation, and much more.

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