Florida freeze leads to over $3 billion in crop losses, agricultural commissioner says

Recent Florida freezes have caused over $3 billion in losses for farmers, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson announced Friday.

This comes from preliminary estimates from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Here is a breakdown of the estimated losses, totaling over $3.1 billion. FDACS says these numbers could get updated as additional information becomes available:

• Tomatoes: $164,273,849
• Strawberries: $306,965,897
• Watermelons: $65,437,343
• Sweet Corn: $255,363,251
• Sugarcane: $1,152,122,146
• Bell Peppers: $108,380,389
• Potatoes: $79,065,000
• Cabbage: $21,800,280
• Squash: $24,522,275
• Blueberries: $78,512,400
• Greenhouse and Nursery: $240,000,000
• 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. 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,” said Simpson.

“I want to thank President Donald Trump and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins for their unprecedented support for our food producers, especially 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. 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," he said.

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