A preliminary report released by the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Economic Impact Analysis Program shows Hurricane Milton caused ag production losses between $190.4 million and $642.7 million in the state.
This report is based on data and surveys economists at the university distributed to growers.
UF/IFAS said estimating the impacts of Hurricane Milton is difficult because the storm made landfall shortly after Hurricane Helene. The preliminary report provides low and high estimates of average production losses. The university cautions that the figures should not be interpreted as minimum and maximum values.
“We had to do some quick thinking and make adjustments to both the data and the methods that we used for our Hurricane Milton analysis to account for the quick succession of Hurricanes Helene and Milton as well as the tornado outbreak that accompanied Hurricane Milton,” said Christa Court, UF/IFAS EIAP director.
The report shows the commodity groups that experienced the highest production loses, shown in low and high in the current growing or marketing season, include vegetables, melons and potatoes with an estimate of $52.5 million (low) to $233 million (high).
UF/IFAS said vegetables, melons and potatoes were largely impacted by heavy winds and flooding. Growers reported substantial impacts of flooding to potatoes and beans, and of wind to crops including peppers, tomatoes, cabbage and cauliflower. Production losses for greenhouses and nurseries resulted from structural damage and loss of electricity.
“Some growers have delayed winter crop planting due to Helene and Milton, disrupting the production schedule and potentially affecting the value of future harvests,” the report stated.
Hurricane Milton made landfall as a Category 3 storm on Oct. 9 near Siesta Key and generated significant tornado activity between Oct. 6 and Oct. 12. Hurricane-force winds impacted 14 Florida counties: Brevard, Charlotte, DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands, Hillsborough, Manatee, Orange, Osceola, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota, Seminole and Volusia.
UF/IFAS said an additional 43 Florida counties experienced tropical storm-force winds. Rainfall was concentrated in the western and central regions of the state, and some southwestern areas experienced cumulative totals above 18 inches between Oct. 6 and Oct. 12.
Flood levels reached 15 feet on the coast and in low-lying areas, according to the report. Inland, particularly around rivers, estuaries and natural lowlands, flood levels climbed to 4 feet.
Milton impacted more than 5.7 million acres of agricultural land in the state, property that UF/IFAS said collectively produces an estimated $8.6 billion in agricultural products over multiple growing seasons each year.
By comparison, UF/IFAS said Hurricane Debby, a Category 1 storm, impacted 2.2 million acres of agricultural land in early August and resulted in production losses of about $170 million, according to a soon-to-be-released final report from the EIAP.
And the university said Hurricane Helene, a Category 4 storm, impacted 6 million acres of agricultural land in late September and resulted in production losses of between $40.3 million and $162.2 million, according to a preliminary EIAP report.
“Milton resulted in higher agricultural losses than Hurricane Helene, not only because it caused more intense weather conditions overall, but also because areas producing high-value commodities experienced higher-intensity weather conditions,” said Xiaohui Qiao, EIAP research assistant professor.
