Photo by Jarred Eddy
The Florida Ag Coalition has asked President Donald Trump for supplemental federal disaster assistance through a state-administered block grant for Florida farmers and ranchers impacted by recent freezes. The coalition represents agricultural producers and organizations across the state. The request was made in a March 9 letter.
The letter noted that Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson on Feb. 20 indicated Florida’s agricultural freeze losses in January and February exceeded $3 billion. According to Simpson, citrus was one of the hardest hit commodities, with losses of more than $674 million.
“The impacts of these events extend well beyond Florida,” the letter stated. “Without timely disaster assistance, production disruptions could have broader implications for Florida’s economy and the nation’s food supply and security. Furthermore, these losses come during a time when many growers are facing high input costs, labor challenges and prior weather impacts. In many cases, this freeze was more damaging than recent hurricanes and will affect crops for the remainder of their growing cycles — and in some cases, for years.”
“Without meaningful federal support, many operations, including multigenerational family farms, may struggle to recover and continue producing food, fiber and foliage for our nation,” the letter added. “To ensure relief reaches producers quickly and effectively, our coalition respectfully urges the administration and Congress to provide supplemental disaster assistance in the form of a block grant administered through the state of Florida. This approach would allow state leaders and agricultural agencies to tailor assistance to the unique needs of affected producers and commodities, ensuring that relief reaches farmers in a timely and efficient manner.”
The letter asked for Trump’s leadership “in working with Congress and the Florida delegation to ensure that supplemental disaster funding is included in the next federal budget to support producers affected by disasters in 2026.
Source: Florida Ag Coalition
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