A bipartisan delegation of Florida lawmakers has written to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) requesting expanded relief for Florida farmers impacted by hurricanes in previous months.
Florida farmers have lost billions in crops and damages, according to the latest estimates.
The USDA has provided hundreds of millions in agricultural relief aid and recently announced a new $235 million package, $143 million of which will help restore crop and forestry losses while $92 million will flow towards livestock losses.
However, Floridian lawmakers think present USDA assistance is insufficient.
To this end, Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Representative Scott Franklin (R-FL) led over twenty Florida lawmakers in requesting expanded USDA assistance.
“These back-to-back major hurricanes have decimated Florida agriculture, our state’s second largest industry, which generates more than $182.6 billion in annual revenue and provides more than 2.5 million jobs,” alleges the letter. “As Members of Congress, it is our responsibility to work with USDA to best assist the producers who feed our nation. We appreciate your attention to this urgent matter.”
Specifically, the letter requests USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack ensure Florida producers and farmers are provided increased critical aid in the form of block grants and policy flexibilities for the Farm Service Agency to efficiently disburse recovery funds.
“Block grants administered by the state expedite disbursement, free up personnel at FSA to efficiently carry out routine programs and provide needed flexibility for states,” continues the letter.
The lawmakers also requested improvements in agricultural insurance, claiming farmers need improved “crop insurance options for growers as outlined in the 2024 Farm Bill passed by the House Committee on Agriculture earlier this year.”
The joint letter requesting aid comes after many Florida lawmakers separately asked USDA for help on behalf of Florida farmers.
USDA has yet to respond to the requests.
