Florida - Tuesday October 25, 2022: Hurricane Ian caused as much as $1.8 billion in damages to Florida agriculture last month.
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) released a preliminary damage assessment which considered losses to agriculture production and infrastructure. The estimate of losses ranges from $1,180,714,303 to $1,888,305,886.
CITRUS
The biggest losses came from citrus, which had damages between $416 million and $675 million.
According to the report, most of the citrus losses were due to fruit drop, damage to branches and the effects of heavy rainfall and flooding. The hurricane hit almost at the start of the citrus growing season. Florida produces about 60% of all the citrus consumed in the U.S.\
CATTLE
The beef cattle and dairy sectors both suffered losses to fencing, buildings and other infrastructure.
Some 250 beef cattle died due to the storm, and more than 257,000 calves are “awaiting to be shipped to out-of-state feedlots, currently in stressful condition,” according to the report. And an estimated 1.6 million acres of pasture “experienced significant erosion and flood damage” as a result of the hurricane.
Twenty-four dairy farms suffered “significant damages” and the storm also reduced milk production because of the stress put on cows.
FRUIT and VEGETABLES
Some 187,871 fruit and vegetable acres of vegetables experienced hurricane or tropical storm winds. “The planting season was getting into full gear as Hurricane Ian hit, and many fields lost the plastic and drip-tape irrigation that had been installed. In addition to blown plastic and irrigation, growers have reported clean-up costs which are a significant portion of the total estimated losses,” the report said.
ESTIMATED DOLLAR LOSSES
* Animal and animal products: including aquaculture and dairy: $337 million to $492 million
* Vegetables and Fruits: other than citrus: $154 million to $231 million.
* Field crops: including sugarcane: $86 million to $160 million.
* Horticultural crops: $154 million to $297 million.
“While today’s assessment is a preliminary snapshot of the losses to Florida agriculture, it is a critical first step in the process of securing federal disaster aid for our hard-working producers,” said Commissioner Nikki Fried. “We will continue our close collaboration on the ground with industry partners to gain further insight into the depth and breadth of Ian’s damage. As we move ahead on the road to recovery, I look forward to working with Florida’s Congressional Delegation and our U.S. Senators on a relief package to help restore Florida’s second largest industry.
* Animal and animal products, including aquaculture and dairy: $337 million to $492 million
* Vegetables and Fruits, other than citrus: $154 million to $231 million.
* Field crops, including sugarcane: $86 million to $160 million.
* Horticultural crops: $154 million to $297 million.
You can find the full FDACS preliminary damage assessment here.