During another above-average hurricane season, preparation is key for sustaining Florida’s farms
Preparing Florida’s 9.7 million acres of farmland is imperative as the state navigates an “above-average” hurricane season in the Atlantic basin for the 10th year in a row. Agriculture is present in all 67 counties, producing more than 200 types of crops and animal products worth $10 billion annually, and last year’s major storms resulted in hundreds of millions in production losses.
Christa Court, an economist with the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, or UF/IFAS, leads a team that helps measure the economic toll of hurricanes on farms. This work informs decision-making processes at the individual, local, state and federal levels related to disaster preparation, mitigation, response and relief.
“To sustain our food supply and other supply chains supported by Florida’s agricultural system, it’s critical that our producers in Florida do everything they can to prepare for and mitigate risk before, during and after hurricane season,” said Court, who serves as the director of the UF/IFAS Economic Impact Analysis Program, or EIAP. “Last year, three significant hurricanes hit Florida, while many producers were still recovering from the impacts of Hurricanes Ian and Idalia in 2022 and 2023.”
Tracking the impacts
Using survey input from Florida’s producers and data on storm events and Florida agriculture, the EIAP estimated that Florida incurred $715 million in agricultural production losses across all three major storms in 2024: Hurricane Debby, Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. This does not include timber losses, costs associated with storm-specific preparations and cleanup, or repair and replacement of damaged buildings, machinery, farm equipment and stored products.
More than 2.25 million acres of agricultural lands across 41 Florida counties experienced at least tropical storm conditions during all three storms. Upwards of 71,000 acres of agricultural lands in Taylor, Lafayette, Dixie and Suwannee counties were affected by hurricane conditions during both Hurricanes Debby and Helene.
“These figures not only illustrate the widespread exposure of agricultural lands to these events but also underscore the challenges producers face when they are impacted,” said Xiaohui Qiao, a geospatial engineer with the EIAP who specializes in disaster impact assessment.
“While the impacts were severe, Florida’s producers are resilient; they have navigated hurricane seasons for centuries, with many family farms persisting through multiple generations,” Court added. “Florida is a bellwether state, leading the nation in disaster preparation, response and recovery efforts, including those related to agriculture.”
Staying vigilant
The Florida Cooperative Extension System works alongside agriculture-related industry associations and local, state and federal government agencies to ensure that response systems are ready and that a compendium of disaster-related resources are available. At every level of the disaster management process, from preparation to long-term recovery, producer participation informs and influences outcomes.
But how can farms be ready to assess and respond to the impact of storms? It’s vital that agricultural producers in Florida compile all important farm records, including business records, insurance information and visual documentation of their farms and equipment as it currently exists, Court said. It is wise to have multiple copies of this information, both physical and digital, stored in secure locations.
“During a storm, Floridians need to first ensure that their family, individuals involved with farm operations, and any animals are safe and secure,” Court said.
For those who need farm-related assistance in the aftermath of a storm event, the Florida State Agricultural Response Team coordinates large animal response and rescue operations and efforts to address other immediate unmet agricultural needs across the state.
EIAP experts recommend that Florida agriculture producers assess and document any farm losses and damages from storm events by taking pictures of everything, with time and location stamps enabled. They should contact the necessary organizations, such as an insurance office, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency and the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, before any clean up or repair efforts begin. Afterward, they should thoroughly document all cleanup and repair work and expenses that follow.
They should also report their experiences to the USDA’s Farm Service Agency and the EIAP. These groups are both formally and informally involved in various decision-making processes related to agricultural disaster declaration, response, relief and recovery.
“As this hurricane season is becoming more active, Florida’s farmers should continue to get acquainted with the Florida State Agricultural Response Team and its partners, and reach out to a county Extension office and a local USDA Service Center to learn more about disaster-related resources,” Court said. “Floridians outside the agricultural industry can visit a county Extension office to learn more about Florida agriculture and directly support Florida’s producers by trying ‘Fresh From Florida’ products or visiting farmers’ markets and agri-tourism operations.”
For more information on the impacts of last year’s major hurricanes on Florida lands, visit: go.ufl.edu/debbyagimpacts2024, go.ufl.edu/heleneagimpacts2024 and go.ufl.edu/miltonagimpacts2024.