US Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins signs agreement with Florida officials to deliver recovery assistance to farmers affected by recent hurricanes, with citrus growers among those set to benefit
Citrus growers in the US state of Florida stand to benefit from a portion of US$675.9mn in funding that the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has allocated to help them and other producers recover from four recent hurricanes.
In a meeting with local agriculture officials, US Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins today signed an agreement with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to provide recovery assistance for Floridian farmers.
The funding programme covers infrastructure, citrus, and timber, in addition to direct market losses, and is part of a US$30bn disaster assistance relief effort authorised by this year’s American Relief Act.
The USDA is working with 14 different US states to develop and implement block grants which address the “unique disaster recovery needs” for each one.
“America’s farmers and ranchers across the Southeast and in Florida have been hit hard and suffered significant economic losses during the last two hurricane seasons,” Rollins commented. “USDA has worked closely with the State of Florida to ensure those impacted have the relief they need. The Trump Administration has our farmers’ backs and will ensure they have the resources they need to continue to produce the safest, most reliable, and most abundant food supply in the world.”
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson responded: “I want to thank President Trump, Secretary Brooke Rollins, and the US Department of Agriculture for recognising the need for critical financial relief for our farmers, ranchers, and growers.
“Florida’s producers have endured back-to-back devastating hurricane seasons, and this funding is a major victory that will help them rebuild, recover, and continue feeding our state and nation. Food production is not just an economic issue, it’s a matter of national security — and we appreciate the President’s consistent support for our farmers.”
