Florida Agricultural Commissioner Wilton Simpson announced this week that Florida Farmers can soon apply for more than $600 million in grant assistance from the Florida Block Grant Disaster Relief Program following impacts from the 2023 and 2024 hurricane seasons, which included 2024 storms Milton and Helene.
“I want to thank President Donald Trump and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins for their steadfast support for our farmers, ranchers, and producers,” Simpson said. “Florida’s producers suffered over $3 billion in damages and losses during the 2023 and 2024 hurricane seasons. We’ve worked to make this funding available as quickly as possible to support the men and women who feed and sustain our state and nation. Our program is in place, and we stand ready to receive supplemental funding to address the devastating 2026 ice storm that impacted Florida. We can be a force multiplier to get assistance out as quickly as possible.”
According to the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Services, Florida is the first state in the nation to finalize an agreement with the United States Department of Agriculture to join the grant program. The department emphasized that the $600 million covers about 35% of Florida’s total agricultural losses from the 2023 and 2024 hurricane seasons.
Funding for eligible producers includes the following:
- Infrastructure damage
- Market loss compensation
- Citrus-specific impacts, including infrastructure and future economic loss
- Timber damage
Agricultural producers can begin applying on Feb. 25. All applications must be submitted by Aug. 25.
For more information, please go here for eligibility, documentation requirements, and application details.
Along with hurricane relief, Commissioner Simpson requested that the federal government approve disaster grants for agricultural producers affected by Florida's recent ice storm and cold temperatures.
The cold snap, rare by Florida standards, impacted farmers statewide, including producers as far south as southwest Florida.
According to a report, Simpson indicated the storm's impact is likely to result in between $500 million and $1.5 billion in crop damage.
