Florida Representatives Kat Cammack (R) and Vern Buchanan (R) led a delegation of Florida lawmakers in sending a letter to the USDA, urging the federal organization to issue a "Disaster Declaration" for Florida farmers amidst recent freezing temperatures.
“THIS IS A NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUE! Florida farmers are facing a devastating crop crisis caused by freezing temperatures, all while being responsible for feeding 150 million Americans during the winter. A nation that cannot feed itself, cannot secure itself,” Rep. Cammack shared in a post on social media.
Cammack is leading the charge to urge USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins to issue a USDA Disaster Declaration so that federal aid can be issued to Florida farmers to assist in recovering after the freeze subsides.
“I am leading the Florida delegation on a mission to save Florida agriculture. Our farmers and ranchers are the backbone of our nation. They deserve our full support. Nothing less,” Cammack concluded.
Rep. Buchanan has echoed her remarks, noting that that Florida farmers are “facing a crisis” in the wake of sub 40º temperatures that have struck the entire state of Florida.
In an X post, The Florida Republican warned, “Florida agriculture is facing a crisis after record-breaking freezes devastated crops across our state. Proud to join [Kat Cammack] and members of the Florida Delegation in urging USDA to issue a Disaster Declaration so farmers and ranchers can recover.”
The letter sent by Cammack argues that specific produce, such as avocados, bell peppers, sugar cane, broccoli, celery, sweet corn, citrus, nurseries, aquaculture, etc., are all crops that “face threats of production loss that will last for months and in some cases even into future years.”
The Florida lawmakers who joined Cammack and Buchanan in sending the letter are the following:
Sen. Rick Scott (R)
Sen. Ashley Moody (R)
Rep. Scott Franklin (R)
Rep. Daniel Webster (R)
Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R)
Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart (R)
Rep. Aaron Bean (R)
Rep. Kathy Castor (D)
Rep. Sheila Cherfilus McCormick (D)
Rep. Neal Dunn (R)
Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost (D)
Rep. Byron Donalds (R)
Rep. Lois Frankel (D)
Rep. Randy Fine (R)
Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R)
Rep. Mike Haridopolos (R)
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R)
Rep. Laurel Lee (D)
Rep. Brian Mast (R)
Rep. Cory Mills (R)
Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D)
Rep. Jimmy Patronis (R)
Rep. John Rutherford (R)
Rep. Darren Soto (D)
Rep. María Elvira-Salazar (R)
Rep. Greg Steube (R)
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D)
Rep. Frederica Wilson (D)
President Donald Trump was also sent the letter in addition to the USDA director.
