Hurricane Milton to cause ‘unprecedented financial strain’ on Florida’s already struggling farmers

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Agricultural damage from Hurricane Milton may double the devastation caused by the three hurricanes that have pummeled Florida since August 2023, according to Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Wilton Simpson.

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Simpson estimated that Milton alone caused between $1.5 billion and $2.5 billion in damages. This comes on top of over $1.5 billion already sustained from hurricanes Idalia, Debby, and Helene, which hit Florida in rapid succession over the past year.

In a letter sent Thursday to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Simpson requested immediate federal assistance through the Farm Service Agency and other programs to help Florida farmers recover from the historic damage.

“With four major hurricanes in just over a year, our agriculture communities have been hit repeatedly, causing unprecedented financial strain,” Simpson said in a release. “We need the USDA’s immediate support to help these family farms recover from yet another historic storm. The time to act is now.”

Hurricane Milton made landfall on Oct. 9 in Sarasota County, with sustained winds of 120 mph. The storm tore through the central portion of the state, impacting 51 counties as it barreled ashore near Siesta Key. The three previous storms—Idalia, Debby, and Helene—made landfall in Taylor County and severely impacted the rural Big Bend region and the Gulf Coast.

Simpson’s preliminary report detailed significant damage to nurseries and cattle ranches, with power outages disrupting cow-milking operations. Cotton, peanut, and rice crops experienced varying degrees of damage, while vegetables, melons, blueberries, strawberries, and tropical fruits suffered “significant damages.”

The state’s citrus industry, already grappling with historically low production levels before Milton hit, now faces additional losses due to fruit drop and waterlogged fields that may lead to tree mortality. Alico Inc., one of Florida’s largest citrus growers, reported minimal tree damage but a significant fruit drop across its groves in seven counties.

“This major hurricane follows several years of above-average rainfall, severe storms, hard freezes, and inflationary pressures, which may hinder access to the resources these farmers need,” Simpson noted in his letter to Vilsack.

UF/IFAS, the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, has been collecting damage data from farmers impacted by the recent hurricanes. Early estimates showed Hurricane Debby caused between $93.7 million and $263.2 million in agricultural losses, primarily affecting livestock grazing land.

Hurricane Idalia, which made landfall in August 2023 with 115 mph winds, caused $276 million in production losses, including $157.6 million in damage to beef cattle, dairy cattle, poultry, and aquaculture.

Hurricane Helene, which made landfall in late September, is still being assessed by UF/IFAS for its agricultural toll. Milton’s impact has been particularly devastating, hitting areas that were still recovering from Hurricane Ian, a Category 4 storm that struck in September 2022 and caused between $1.18 billion and $1.89 billion in agricultural losses.

With Florida’s agricultural sector under mounting pressure, Simpson is pushing for rapid federal assistance to help farmers and ranchers get back on their feet.

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