Florida growers have been through a lot in the past month. Between the disappointing citrus forecast and dual hurricanes, growers throughout the state have faced their share (and more!) of adversity.
Hopefully, relief will make its way to those who need it thanks to payments the U.S. Department of Agriculture started issuing at the beginning of the month to ag producers affected by natural disasters. Those funds include $143 million in crop insurance indemnities for Florida producers impacted by Hurricane Milton.
The payments are for those who have federal crop insurance coverage through the Hurricane Insurance Protection-Wind Index (HIP-WI) endorsement and the Tropical Storm section. If you have that coverage, the USDA says you should see payments from Approved Insurance Providers in the next 30 days. Producers don’t have to file a claim to receive payment, and the funds are in addition to indemnity payments that come through the underlying crop insurance policy.
These funds are intended to help farmers and rural communities recover.
Altogether, more than $776 million in payments have been issued in 2024 for those with this coverage, and Florida producers have received $340 million since HIP-WI became available in 2020.
Contact your crop insurance agent to report your damages and losses.
It was heartbreaking to see our state hit yet again by a powerful hurricane, but it never fails to shine the spotlight on the resilience and character of those in ag.
God bless, and all of us here at Central Florida Ag News are praying for a speedy recovery.
