Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson has announced that agricultural industry in Florida has sustained more than $3 Billion in total estimated damages due to recent freezes.
Commissioner Simpson said, “Our preliminary estimate of over $3 billion in agricultural losses makes clear what we already knew: This was one of the most damaging freeze events for Florida agriculture in history. It is also clear that our state’s farmers, ranchers, and growers – who we rely on daily to feed and nourish our communities – need timely and substantial support. I want to thank President Donald Trump and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins for their unprecedented support for our food producers, especially during times of crisis like this. They know that a strong domestic food supply is critical to our nation’s security, and Florida’s farmers feed America, especially during the winter. Working hand in hand with producer groups and our congressional delegation, we stand ready to accept and quickly administer federal block grant funding to support our impacted producers to recover, to replant, and to keep our nation fed.”
Preliminary estimates were conducted by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and according to the department the losses impacted, “agricultural sectors, including vegetables and melons, citrus, sugarcane, fruits, horticulture, and aquaculture.” Updates to these figures will be provided as they become available.
Audio Reporting by Dale Sandlin for Southeast AgNet.