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Writer's pictureDave Price

'Time to Act Is Now,' Agricultural Official Tells USDA



“Catastrophic” is the word that Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson used to describe the damage that Hurricane Milton caused to his state. But the word could describe the past 15 months, too.


Hurricanes that have hit Florida since August 2023: 

Idalia: August 23, 2023 (Category 3)

Debby: August 5, 2024 (Category 1)

Helene: September 26, 2024 (Category 4)

Milton: October 9, 2024 (Category 5)


Four hurricanes have battered the state.


"Hurricane Milton has left a broad path of devastation, impacting our farmers and threatening Florida’s position as a leading agricultural producer. With four major hurricanes in just over a year, our agriculture communities have been hit repeatedly, causing unprecedented financial strain," Simpson wrote in a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.


"We need the USDA's immediate support to help these family farms recover from yet another historic storm. The time to act is now."


RELATED: The extreme fall weather could limit a traditional winter holiday display. Poinsettia production could be hindered by Hurricane Milton. Watch this story from Fox Weather. 


Damage estimates are still preliminary for Hurricane Milton, the Category 5 monster storm that produced the fifth-most intense Atlantic hurricane on record.


But Simpson estimated that damage could be between $1.5 and 2.5 billion. That alone is a staggering sum. But Simpson said the previous three hurricanes had already caused $1.5 billion in destruction to Florida.


That means $3-4 billion in damage in just 15 months.


Nurseries, cattle ranches, dairy farms, cotton, peanuts, rice, melons, blueberries, strawberries, tropical fruits, and various vegetables suffered minor to catastrophic damages, according to the Florida Commissioner of Agriculture.


RELATED: WUSF-FM in Tampa, Florida, detailed how agriculture suffered in Sarasota County and other parts of the state from Hurricane Milton. See that story here.  


“I’m urging POTUS (President of the United States) to quickly assess the needs following these storms and request the funds from Congress so that we can help our ag community get back on its feet and keep putting food on our tables,” wrote U.S. Senator Rick Scott, a Republican, on X (Twitter).



Florida’s treasured citrus crops could suffer in an unprecedented way. Hurricanes Helene and Milton may squeeze production to record lows, a huge blow for the state. Florida is traditionally the largest citrus producer in the United States.


RELATED: Reuters had this report on the damage to the citrus industry in Florida due to hurricanes that destroyed farms in the south-central region.


“This major hurricane follows several years of above average rainfall, severe storms and winds, other tropical cyclones, hard freezes, and the significant economic disruption to all sectors of the economy caused by supply chain issue and mounting inflationary pressures, which may hinder access to necessary resources these farmers need,” Commissioner Simpson wrote in his request for federal aid to the USDA.


He added, “There are no words to describe the devastation to those family farms that have been impacted by multiple storms. Many are still waiting on relief from previous disasters. If immediate action is not taken, we are at risk of losing significant agriculture, aquaculture, and silviculture operations in this region due to circumstances beyond our farmers’ control.”


RELATED: Read the letter from Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack requesting federal aid following four hurricanes that hit the state since August 2023.

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