The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ preliminary estimate of the state’s agricultural losses from the recent freezes includes more than $3.1 billion.
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson says the estimates highlight the losses to diverse agricultural sectors, including vegetables and melons, citrus, sugarcane, fruits, horticulture and aquaculture. The figures will be updated as additional information becomes available.
The estimates draw on data from the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, the Florida Census of Agriculture, USDA Market News, the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences 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.
Estimated losses include:
- Tomatoes — $164,273,849
- Strawberries — $306,965,897
- Watermelons — $65,437,343
- Sweet corn — $255,363,251
- Bell peppers — $108,380,389
- Potatoes — $79,065,000
- Cabbage — $21,800,280
- Squash — $24,522,275
- Blueberries — $78,512,400
- Citrus — $674,660,336
“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,” Simpson says. “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.”
Simpson also commended the Trump administration for support 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,” he says. “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.”
A copy of FDACS’ preliminary estimates can be found online.
