How will USDA’s $700 million in disaster assistance be used to help Florida farmers?

“Greening disease, that industry has been totally devastated.”

Federal assistance is on the way for Florida farmers and ranchers.

USDA has announced nearly $700 million in disaster aid, focused on areas like infrastructure, citrus, and timber, in addition to direct market losses.

Florida Farm Bureau President Jeb Smith spoke with RFD-TV’s Suzanne Alexander about the need for aid in the state, the impact recent disasters have had, and how the funding will be used.

Related Stories
API said it stands ready to work with Congress to develop a balanced approach to E15 legislation that promotes fuel choice, supports investment certainty, and contributes to a stable and fair marketplace for American consumers.
In the meantime, Senate Majority Leader John Thune is asking that farmers be allowed to use marketing assistance loans to help stay afloat.
Beef industry groups seem to agree — market-based pricing, not federal intervention, best supports rancher livelihoods and long-term beef supply stability.
Harvest Pace, Logistics, and Input Costs Drive Fall Decisions
Bioethanol is becoming a global standard. For growers, that boom comes as drops in Mississippi River levels and in soybean demand occur in tandem, leaving barge space for corn and wheat.
The government shutdown has touched nearly every sector of the ag industry since it began, and now impacts are spilling over into dairy.