Simpson celebrates Idalia relief bill passing legislature, $75 million for producers
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson celebrated the state legislature’s passing of a Hurricane Idalia relief bill this week.
“Florida’s agriculture industry sustained widespread damage from Hurricane Idalia, with an estimated loss of over $447 million in crops, livestock, and infrastructure,” Simpson said.
He said that the state’s farmers, ranchers and growers have a “long road to recovery,” but that the agricultural industry remains “strong and resilient.”
Simpson thanked Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, along with the House and Senate sponsors of the legislation, Rep. Jason Shoaf, R-Blounstown, and Sen. Corey Simon, R-Tallahassee.
“Florida’s farmers will continue to do what they have always done – provide the safest, most abundant, and most affordable food supply in the nation – and I am proud to say that Florida has once again demonstrated their unwavering support to these hardworking individuals,” he said.
HB 1C was unanimously passed in both chambers, 110-0 in the House and 39-0 in the Senate.
The legislation provides much-needed aid for Florida’s Big Bend region through $75 million in agricultural producer grants, as well as sales tax provisions on the purchase of rebuilding material and fuel for agricultural properties.
“The storm had a significant impact on agricultural production in the region,” Shoaf said on the House floor.
“More than 3.3 million acres of Florida agriculture land were affected, including damage to agriculture related infrastructure that will need to be repaired or replaced, post-storm cleanup expenses and production losses that may carry over to 2024 and beyond,” he said.
The bill will also allocate $37.5 million in grants to the timber industry in the Big Bend region.
This funding comes after Georgia-Pacific abruptly announced their Foley Cellulose Facility in Taylor County would be shutting down.
The announcement led to Gov. Ron DeSantis and other elected officials to demand that the company kept the facility open.
