Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson praised the $675.9 million block grant agreement as a critical lifeline for the state’s producers, who faced more than $3 billion in agricultural losses across the 2023 and 2024 hurricane seasons due to Hurricanes Idalia, Debby, Helene, and Milton.
“Florida’s producers have endured back-to-back devastating hurricane seasons, and this funding is a major victory that will help them rebuild, recover, and continue feeding our state and nation,” said Simpson. “Food production is not just an economic issue — it’s a matter of national security.”
The newly signed agreement between USDA and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) provides $675,953,007 in targeted recovery assistance for Florida’s farmers, ranchers, citrus growers, and timber operations. The program will assist with:
- Infrastructure damage
- Market loss compensation
- Citrus-specific losses
- Timber damage
Funding is available to eligible producers in counties designated as primary or contiguous disaster areas. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or legal entities with ownership or risk in affected commodities.
The relief is authorized under the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2025 (P.L. 118-158) and will be administered by FDACS through the USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA). Program disbursements will begin following USDA approval of FDACS’s detailed Work Plan.
FDACS will release further guidance on eligibility, application steps, and disbursement timelines. This federal funding is in addition to $150 million already allocated by the State of Florida through FDACS’s Agricultural and Aquaculture Producers Natural Disaster Recovery Loan Program and its timber recovery program.
Producers impacted by recent hurricanes should monitor FDACS announcements and visit fsa.usda.gov for updates on applying for disaster assistance.