Hurricane Helene, which slammed into Florida’s Big Bend region in late September, has caused significant agricultural damage, adding to the mounting losses from a series of devastating storms this year.
A new report from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) estimates that Helene inflicted between $40.3 million and $162.2 million in agricultural losses. This comes on the heels of Hurricane Debby, which struck the same region in August.
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Combined, the two storms are estimated to have caused losses ranging from $134 million to a staggering $425 million. These figures primarily reflect damage to crops and livestock during the current growing season and do not include losses to infrastructure, fertilizer, feed, and other related expenses.
Helene’s 140 mph winds impacted over 6 million acres of agricultural land, primarily used for livestock grazing. Field and row crops suffered the most significant financial hit, followed by livestock and animal production losses.
By comparison, Hurricane Debby, a Category 1 storm that impacted 2.2 million acres of agricultural land in early August, resulted in production losses of about $170 million, according to a soon-to-be released final report from the EIAP.
“Debby, despite being a weaker storm in terms of wind, resulted in greater agricultural losses than Helene due to heavier rainfall and more extensive flooding, some of which affected areas that grow or raise higher-value products,” said Xiaohui Qiao, EIAP research assistant professor.
RELATED: Hurricane Helene: Florida Ag Production Losses Top $40M, UF Economists Estimate
The impact of Hurricane Milton, which struck Central Florida in October, is still being assessed. Early estimates from Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson suggest that Milton may have caused between $1.5 billion and $2.5 billion in losses, including damage to the state’s vital citrus industry.
The UF/IFAS report highlights the vulnerability of Florida’s agriculture industry to hurricanes and the need for continued support and resources to help farmers recover and rebuild.
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