Florida ag commissioner calls for federal assistance after wintry blast
A blast of wintry weather that blanketed the Southeast has prompted Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson to request a disaster declaration and assistance for specialty crop growers throughout the state.
In a letter (.pdf) to Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, Simpson detailed the situation in the Sunshine State, stating “forecasts indicate sub-freezing temperatures reaching as far south as Collier and Broward counties, along with sustained winds of 20-30 mph and gusts up to 50 mph.”
He said the harsh winter conditions threaten Florida’s winter crops, including:
- avocados
- bell pepper
- broccoli
- celery
- corn
- cucumbers
- radishes
- cabbage
- citrus
- eggplant
- green beans
- potatoes
- strawberries
- squash
- tomatoes
Simpson called for “any and all assistance available” under the Farm Service Agency and other USDA programs to help farmers recover.
“Florida’s producers are taking every possible step to protect their operations, but the severity of this storm will result in losses that require swift federal support,” he wrote.
National Weather Service forecasters projected “widespread frost” on Feb. 2 and temperatures falling into the 30s again on Feb. 3. Sub-freezing temperatures could stretch as far south into areas such as Collier County on the Gulf Coast and Broward County on the Atlantic Coast.
