Simpson, Albritton, others deliver updates on Hurricane Idalia relief

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – State officials joined Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson for a press conference on Tuesday, giving updates on the state’s Hurricane Idalia relief efforts.

Leaders in attendance included Senate Majority Leader Ben Albritton, R-Bartow, Sen. Corey Simon, R-Tallahassee, Sen. Jay Collins, R-Tampa, and others

“In September of last year we estimated Hurricane Idalia’s damage at $450 million to Florida agriculture,” Simpson said. “The legislature has stepped up to the plate and provided significant funding and directed our department to launch critical recovery programs for effected agricultural producers.”

He announced that the state was prepared to distribute $112 million in funding to help agricultural producers to rebuild and recover across the state. He added that there are two programs that producers are able to take advantage of.

“First, the agriculture and aquaculture producers natural disaster recovery loan program offers low interest or interest-free loans up to $500,000 for eligible producers,” the commissioner said.

He explained that the loans can be used to replace essential physical property, including fences, equipment and greenhouses.

“The second is a timber recovery program which offers grants to eligible timberland owners, up to $250,000,” Simpson said. “These grants can be used for site preparation, pine seedling replanting, seedling purchase and post-planting herbicide costs.”

Albritton said during the conference that the funding signaled it was a “day to celebrate.”

“If you’re a farmer in [the big bend], hear my voice, help’s on the way,” he said. “We hear you, we see you and we’re standing with you.”

Simon thanked Simpson and the many Florida officials involved in the process of recovery, following Idalia’s destruction.

When Idalia swept through this district, I could only see the faces that had nowhere to go,” Simon said. “The farmers that had invested generations into their land lost everything.”

He also thanked Gov. Ron DeSantis for calling the special session to take place in October in part to help respond to the disaster.

“Because what I saw here was a dejected industry that could not wait for the federal government to act,” he continued. “We needed to do something here on a grand scale and that’s what we did.”

Collins said that it is “our pledge to agriculture” that we will be there for the people that depend on it. He also complimented Simon for his great work in the community during the relief efforts.

“We were out there, feeding people every single day,” Collins said. “We saw people at the moment of the lowest time in their life and Senator Simon was in every single community out there feeding people, listening to people and solving their problems.”

“Corey, you are a shining example of what leadership looks like and I am proud to call you a colleague and a leader in this state,” he added.