Florida Lawmakers Lobby for Increased Federal Aid to Florida Farmers Recovering From Hurricane Season

Florida farmers have faced substantial losses due to major hurricanes in the last couple of years. 

With Hurricane Milton and Helene’s recent passing, US Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) is requesting the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) expand its financial assistance to recovering Florida farmers. 

Senator Scott sent a letter to President Joe Biden asking USDA surveil the agricultural damage suffered by Florida’s farmers and subsequently increase agricultural subsidies respectively. 

“Our farmers, growers and producers are the backbone of Florida’s economy and have been waiting far too long for needed relief from the federal government,” said Scott via X. “I’m urging POTUS 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.”

Scott’s request for expanded funds follows his conversations with Florida farmers and a review of agricultural damage across Florida in the aftermath of Helene and Milton.

“I spoke with farmers and ranchers in Florida who have suffered substantial losses from hurricanes in previous years, including the recent impacts of Hurricanes Helene and Milton,” alleged Scott. “They overwhelmingly support the need for relief in the form of block grants to expedite recovery efforts.”

Other Florida lawmakers have likewise requested Federal government agricultural aid injections. 

Representative Kat Cammack (R-FL) similarly recently sent a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack demanding aid. Representative Cammack called for block grants, Farm Service Agency (FSA) strike forces, and improvements in measuring rainfall.

"We write to request that the U.S. Department of Agriculture to take swift action to support our farmers and rural communities affected by Hurricane Helene. Specifically, we request that the USDA deploy Farm Service Agency (FSA) strike teams to the hardest-hit areas, providing much-needed personnel to assist with recovery efforts," Cammack's letter read.

Cammack also called for block grants from the Department of Agriculture, noting that "successful recovery efforts rely on a combination of sufficient resources and the expedient delivery of aid. FSA can easily become overwhelmed with agricultural disaster relief due to the current ad hoc nature of disaster assistance, where USDA must create a new disaster program each time funds are appropriated by Congress."