As growers surveyed fields and groves after the freeze in late January and early February, it was clear the damage had been catastrophic in many cases. That was confirmed by Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson with the first estimate of damage released on Feb 20.
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ (FDACS) preliminary estimates of losses to Florida agriculture from the recent freezes, included more than $3 billion in total estimated losses across the state’s diverse agricultural sectors.
“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,” said Simpson.
“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.”
Damage Estimates
These preliminary estimates highlight the losses to Florida’s diverse agricultural sectors, including vegetables and melons, citrus, sugarcane, fruits, horticulture and aquaculture. The figures will be updated as additional information becomes available.
Estimated losses include:
- Total estimated losses to Florida agriculture: Over $3.1 billion
- Tomatoes: $164,273,849
- Strawberries: $306,965,897
- Watermelons $65,437,343
- Sweet Corn: $255,363,251
- Sugarcane: $1,152,122,146
- Bell Peppers: $108,380,389
- Potatoes: $79,065,000
- Cabbage: $21,800,280
- Squash: $24,522,275
- Blueberries: $78,512,400
- Greenhouse and Nursery: $240,000,000
- Citrus: $674,660,336
These estimates draw on data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service, the Florida Census of Agriculture, USDA Market News, UF-IFAS Preliminary Freeze Event Assessment, early survey and early communication between FDACS, industry leaders, and individual producers who are currently engaged in large-scale recovery efforts.
A copy of FDACS’ preliminary estimates can be found here.