Many of Florida’s agricultural operations have been significantly impacted during this hurricane season.
USDA offers a variety of programs to help farmers and ranchers that have been impacted by natural disaster events, such as a hurricane. If your operation has been impacted, contact your local USDA Service Center to report losses and learn about the disaster program options available to assist in recovery from crop, land, infrastructure, and livestock losses and damages.
For the assistance to be available to producers, FSA must gather information to assess the agricultural damage due to the event, in this case Hurricane Helene or Hurricane Milton. Please see the instructions below to report this information to your local USDA Service Center – Farm Service Agency Office.
*This preliminary information will be used by FSA to determine the amount of loss to each commodity and determine the need for disaster assistance programs. Once the need has been determined, applications will open to allow producers to apply for the disaster programs.
How to report agricultural damages to FSA:
Send an email to your local USDA Service Center. It may be beneficial to also cc your UF/IFAS Extension agent so they can share any additional recovery resources.
Include the following information in the email:
- Name of operation:
- County operating in:
- Contact email:
- Contact phone number:
- Contact person:
- Type of operation:
- Describe damage and/or losses (Be specific. Include pictures and information such as the number of acres damaged, value of structures/equipment damaged, type of crop damaged, number of livestock loss or injured, amount of fence damage, amount of feed/hay lost, amount of fertilizer/supplies lost, power loss affecting wells, etc.):
Remember to document everything – keep records, receipts, pictures, etc. Make sure you do not to start any work unless it is to keep livestock contained.
Locate your local USDA Service Center
Florida Farm Service Agency Website
USDA Agricultural Assistance for Hurricanes
UF/IFAS Disaster Preparation & Recovery: Agriculture & Livestock
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