The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) agreed to requests Wednesday made by former Gov. Charlie Crist, current Gov. Rick Scott and members of the Florida congressional delegation to have more than half of the counties across the Sunshine State declared disaster areas due to the severe cold that gripped the state during November and December.
President Obama and I understand these conditions caused severe damage to corn, cotton, soybeans, pasture and forage, and a wide variety of vegetable crops, said U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, who declared 45 of the states 67 counties in the disaster area. This action will provide help to hundreds of farmers who suffered significant production losses.
The USDA singled out 26 counties across Florida as the areas primarily impacted by the cold weather -- and added contiguous counties that will also be covered in the disaster declaration.
The following counties were the ones the USDA decided were primarily impacted: Alachua, Bradford, Charlotte, Clay, Collier, DeSoto, Dixie, Gilchrist, Flagler, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Indian River, Lee, Levy, Manatee, Martin, Miami-Dade, Okeechobee, Palm Beach, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, St. Johns and St. Lucie.
The contiguous counties that the USDA included in the declaration were Baker, Brevard, Broward, Citrus, Columbia, Duval, Hillsborough, Lafayette, Lake, Marion, Monroe, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union and Volusia.
Floridians whose crops or livestock were impacted by the cold weather could be eligible for various federal programs, including loans, through the Farm Service Agency (FSA) and other agencies, now that Vilsack has agreed to declare the counties disaster areas.
After one of the coldest Decembers in Floridas history, our state is facing significant crop loss and damage. Now that USDA has granted this disaster declaration, Floridas agriculture community can begin the long road to recovery, said Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney on Wednesday. Rooney led efforts to coordinate the congressional delegation.
Florida agriculture is vital not just to our state and local economies, but to our nations economy, added Rooney, who is on the House Agricultural Committee. This disaster declaration will help our vital agriculture industry get back in the business of feeding America.
Floridas growers have faced difficult challenges this season, leading to significant crop loss and damage, said state Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam. The natural disaster area designation from the USDA will enable Floridas growers to apply for and obtain the assistance they need to recover and refocus their efforts on providing fresh fruits and vegetables to dining tables across the country.
In his initial letter sent out at the end of December, Crist asked for 35 counties to be declared disaster areas. In a letter sent earlier in January, Rick Scott asked for Volusia County to be declared a disaster area for the 2011 crops due to freeze and frost.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
