Chicken houses in Suwannee County after Hurricane Idalia. Courtesy, Kelly Aue, Suwannee River Partnership
I grew up in Plant City, Florida with its mix of a quaint downtown and strawberry fields. To this day that mix is still fueling much of Eastern Hillsborough County’s growth. So many of the strawberry farmers are my friends and I know the struggles they have in the bad weather years and celebrations they cheer in the good years. When Hurricane Idalia hit, I knew it was probably going to be one of the worst bad years our farmers have seen in a long time. This time, however, it wasn’t Hillsborough County farmers who suffered. It was our farming communities to the west along the Gulf coast in Pinellas, Manatee, Sarasota, and Charlotte counties, and to the north in Citrus, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Hernando, Jefferson, Lafayette, Levy, Madison, Pasco, Suwanee and Taylor counties. To help with recovery, the Florida Legislature in its recent special session unanimously approved a $75 million 10-year loan program to give a boost to farmers in the Big Bend area where the storm made landfall.
Another $37.5 million was allocated for a timber grant program that authorizes the Department of Agriculture to assist timber landowners with a maximum grant of $250,000. To further help, farmers will receive sales tax refunds for fencing materials to replace damaged property and building materials used to replace or repair nonresidential farm buildings damaged by the storm, as well as a gas tax refund for fuel used for hurricane debris removal – all amounting to another $25 million. Another $50 million will go for general hurricane repair and recovery projects.
I know many of you have farmer friends and some may know of those in these devastated counties. Reach out to them if you can to share a smile and an ear of support as they rebuild. LMA is happy to go see them since we just live “a spit” away! Next up, in anticipation of turkey day, is a wonderful assortment of gobbles, gratifying nuggets, and gabby facts and figures!
LMA Newsletter of 11-20-23
