This week, Florida Agriculture Commissioner of Wilton Simpson announced the release of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ preliminary damage assessment of timber following Hurricane Idalia.
The preliminary assessment estimated that Hurricane Idalia damaged 289,096 acres of timber at a value of $64,751,255.
“For this part of the state in particular – which relies heavily on the timber industry – more than $64 million worth of damaged timber shows just how devastating Hurricane Idalia was, and this does not take into account any potential future harm or disease that could come to remaining timber stands,” said Simpson. “Due to the decades-long investment between the time of planting to harvesting, these communities will not only need immediate support but also long-term solutions to recover. I will continue working with local, state, and federal partners to ensure that impacted producers have access to the recovery resources they deserve.”
A copy of the preliminary damage assessment for timber can be found here.
The department continues work to complete a comprehensive damage assessment for agriculture that includes crop and animal losses as well as damage to agricultural infrastructure, like barns, fences, and irrigation systems.
