A proposal aimed at helping citrus growers replant after Hurricane Irma is included in a federal tax overhaul that could be approved this week by Congress, U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., said Monday. The proposal, sponsored by Buchanan and backed by Florida’s congressional delegation, would provide tax incentives for farmers who cannot afford to replace trees damaged by the storm or from citrus greening disease.
Buchanan said the measure was added to the controversial tax overhaul during negotiations between the House and Senate.
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has reported that the state’s citrus industry suffered an estimated $761 million in damages from Irma. State lawmakers and Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam have said they expect that estimate to increase.