July 22 (UPI) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture is unleashing more than a half billion dollars in further aid to Florida growers and businesses in the aftermath of Hurricanes Idalia, Debby, Helene and Milton.
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins was in the Sunshine State on Monday to meet with Florida officials, business, agricultural leaders and producers and signed a $675.9 million federal block grant with the state’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to provide additional relief for Florida’s farmers to cover loses in its infrastructure, citrus and timber industry.
In a statement, Rollins noted that American farmers and ranchers in Florida’s southeast “have been hit hard and suffered significant economic losses during the last two hurricane seasons.”
“USDA has worked closely with the State of Florida to ensure those impacted have the relief they need,” she said, adding the administration “has our farmers’ backs and will ensure they have the resources they need to continue to produce the safest, most reliable and most abundant food supply in the world.”
Hurricane Helene’s near-record-breaking size and storm surge last year in September wreaked havoc and caused billions of dollars in damage along over 500 miles of Florida’s coastline. It ended with over 230 people dead in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia as the storm flooded towns, destroyed roads and bridges, and Helene swept away homes, farms and livelihoods.
In June, USDA said Florida’s orange crop for the 2024-2025 season was predicted to be its smallest since before World War II, with plummeting orange juice sales down over 50% since 2000.
Rollins said Monday in a social media video that Floridians had faced “such difficult challenges over the last decade or so, most recently with all the hurricanes that have hit.”
“Most importantly, help is coming to our growers,” the secretary said in Felda after her meeting with state and local officials. “It’s right around the corner,” she added.
The $675 million federal infusion of dollars for FDACS to administer came as part of funding via the 2025 American Relief Act.
On Monday, Florida’s agriculture chief stated that his state’s producers had endured “back-to-back devastating hurricane seasons,” describing the additional federal assistance as a “major victory that will help them rebuild, recover and continue feeding our state and nation.”
“Food production is not just an economic issue, it’s a matter of national security,” said Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson. “And we appreciate the president’s consistent support for our farmers.”
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