Hey there, have you heard about Hurricane Milton? 🌪️ This fierce storm made landfall in Florida on October 9 as a Category 3 hurricane and left a trail of destruction that's hard to ignore.
Florida's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services just released a preliminary assessment, and the numbers are staggering. They're estimating between $1.5 billion to $2.5 billion in damages to crops and agricultural infrastructure. That's a huge hit to the Sunshine State's farming community. 😢
The storm didn't play favorites either. It slammed into the majority of Florida's citrus-producing counties, causing high winds and flooding. Citrus isn't the only victim—areas that produce dairy, cotton, peanuts, rice, blueberries, strawberries, and other tropical fruits also felt the impact.
Florida's citrus sector, famous for those delicious oranges 🍊, sustained significant production losses. The agency mentioned that most losses are due to fruit drop, damaged branches, and flooding. Growers are worried about the long-term effects, especially tree mortality caused by the floods.
And it's not just crops. The state's dairy and cattle operations were severely hit. Infrastructure damages were significant, and power outages messed with cow milking and production. 🐄⚡
Cotton, peanut, and rice farmers are expecting anything from minor to catastrophic damages. It's a tough time for everyone involved.
The agency said more detailed damage assessments will come out as they gather more information. But one thing's for sure—Florida's agricultural community could use all the support it can get right now.
Stay tuned for updates, and let's keep Florida's farmers in our thoughts. 🙏
Reference(s):
Hurricane Milton causes $1.5-2.5b in losses to Florida agriculture
cgtn.com
