One-third of Florida's farmland was damaged by Hurricane Idalia that raged last month. According to a new report by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agriculture Sciences, it caused between $80 million and $370 million worth of damage.
In fact, 3.3 million of Florida's 9.7 million acres of agricultural land were impacted, with 177,000 acres crushed by Category 3 winds and 3.1 million acres nailed by tropical storm force winds. Growers of citrus, fruit, row crops, greenhouses and animals are dealing with lost equipment and buildings.
The state agriculture commissioner is unveiling a program to reimburse farmers for three quarters of any irrigation equipment that is uninsured. By providing grants of up to $150,000 grants, the hope is to get growers back on their feet.
Source - https://www.freshplaza.com
