Florida growers suffered a three-hurricane season in 2024, and growers and researchers are still tallying losses from Hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton.
Most recently, the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Economic Impact Analysis Program released a preliminary grower survey that measured ag damage from late September’s Hurricane Helene in a range from $40 million on the low side to $162 million on the high side. Researchers will survey growers and ranchers later this year to finalize loss estimates.
Hurricane Helene was a Category 4 storm that came ashore near Perry, Fla., on Sept. 26, with 140 mph winds before making landfall.
After landfall, Helene continued moving north-northeast, impacting north-central Florida and the southwestern peninsula. It weakened to a Category 2 hurricane after crossing into Georgia, and then further downgraded as it moved through the Appalachian region, affecting parts of South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee, the report said.
A large swath of the Florida peninsula experienced tropical storm force winds, which extended across 55 additional counties, with accumulated rainfall exceeding 12 inches in some regions from Sept. 22 and Sept. 29.
Christa Court, director of the IFAS Economic Impact Analysis Program, briefed members of the media on the report on Nov. 19.
“The highest losses were experienced in those field and row crops, animal and animal products and vegetables, melons and potatoes, because those are the crops that are in the area that was particularly hard hit by Hurricane Helene,” she said.
The potential range of expected losses for Florida vegetable, melon and potato producers was estimated at $10.4 million on the low side to as much as $38.2 million on the high side, the report said.
Estimated losses to citrus growers from Hurricane Helene ranged from zero on the low side to $4.3 million, the report said.
Estimated losses from Helene to Florida fruit and tree nut growers was forecast in a range from $3.2 million on the low side to $12.1 million on the high side.
The report said damage to field and row crops was estimated in a range from $12.8 million to $48.2 million, while greenhouse/nurseries suffered damages estimated from $2.2 million on the low side to $15 million on the high side.
Florida’s animal and animal products suffered damaged from $11.8 million on the low side to $44.4 million on the hight end, the report said.
Court said 6.1 million acres of ag land were affected by Hurricane Helene, with about 68% of that grazing land. About 18,000 acres experienced high-intensity weather conditions, while 334,000 acres experienced moderate-intensity weather conditions. Ninety-four percent of ag land affected by Hurricane Helene experienced low-intensity weather conditions.
Farm and ranch lands damaged by Hurricane Helene produce about $8.7 billion in ag products over an entire year, including lands that produce greenhouse nursery plants, vegetables, melons, potatoes, animals and row crops.
In creating estimates of damages, Court said researchers adjusted for crop growth stage and whether producers had damage from previous storms, notably Hurricane Debby which made landfall in Steinhatchee, Fla., on Aug. 5 near
“We did make adjustments for Hurricane Debby, to ensure we are not double counting any losses,” he said.
Court said a final estimate of Hurricane Helene’s damage will likely be issued in early 2025.
Meanwhile, Court said the University of Florida finalizing work on a preliminary damage assessment from surveys of growers related to damage from Hurricane Milton, which made landfall near Siesta Key, Fla., on Oct. 9, as a Category 3 storm.
“One additional complication with Hurricane Milton was the tornado outbreak that preceded that particular storm, and we wanted to make sure that we were capturing that as well, since that happened well outside of the areas that we’re experiencing the severe hurricane force winds,” Court said. “We’re almost ready to release that one, but the survey is still open.”
