Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson has announced that agricultural producers can now apply for hurricane disaster relief for 2023 and 2024. The Florida Block Grant Disaster Relief Program will provide over $600 million in grant funding in which the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services says can, “assist with infrastructure damage, market loss, citrus loss, and timber damage from recent hurricanes.”
Commissioner Simpson said, “Florida’s farmers, ranchers, and growers suffered billions of dollars in damages and losses during the 2023 and 2024 hurricane seasons, and this grant program offers them much-needed financial support. I want to thank President Donald Trump and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins for always putting America’s farmers first. With their support, we’ve worked to get this funding to our producers as quickly as possible. We are also prepared to administer additional financial resources, as soon as federal approval is granted, for producers impacted by the recent and historic freezes.”
Producers are encouraged to review eligibility information and gather documentation prior to starting the application process. Florida was the first state to finalize an agreement on the block grant program with USDA and the funding provided through grants represents approximately 35% of Florida’s total agricultural damages caused by hurricanes during the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
Details on eligibility and required documents can be found at FDACS.gov/BlockGrant
Audio Reporting by Dale Sandlin for Southeast AgNet.