How Farm Recovery Centers Cultivated the Disaster Assistance Process for Floridians

In the United States, farming is a cornerstone of our economy and culture.  When the increasing frequency and intensity of disasters affect farming, they can disrupt the way of life for many across the nation. Last October, Hurricane Milton made landfall on the west coast of Florida and had an extensive impact on the state’s agriculture and aquaculture industries. 

To help affected farmers, the state of Florida, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and FEMA joined forces to host Farm Recovery Centers in eight counties from Dec. 3-13, 2024. 

Farm Recovery Centers were setup as one-day events with federal, state and local partners to meet with farmers, ranchers and other agriculture producers to help guide these affected food producers to available resources, guidance and services to best meet their recovery needs. 

Throughout the December events, hundreds of agriculture and aquaculture farmers came out to meet with the organizations and learn about assistance programs that could facilitate their farm’s recovery.

Farm Recovery Centers are not new to Florida. The first events were held in the Big Bend region as a pilot program after Hurricane Idalia in 2023. These centers were so successful that in 2024, Farm Recovery Centers were set up all over the country, including most of the other Hurricane Helene-impacted states. 

“Farm Recovery Centers exemplify FEMA’s commitment to supporting the unique recovery needs of rural and agricultural communities,” said FEMA Small State and Rural Advocate Patricia Pudwill. “By bringing federal, state and local partners together in one accessible location, these centers provide farmers and ranchers with tailored guidance, tools and resources to rebuild their livelihoods. As a FEMA Small State and Rural Advocate, I’ve witnessed firsthand how these collaborative efforts empower agricultural producers to navigate the disaster assistance process, fostering resilience and ensuring the sustainability of this vital industry.” 

As these events become more widespread, Farm Recovery Center teams are establishing best practices, which allow teams to work with partners, promote the events and engage local government representatives in increasingly efficient ways. This, in turn, enables FEMA to reach more farmers and connect them with more resources. 

In a Presidentially declared disaster, such as hurricanes Helene or Milton, FEMA may provide money to repair or replace disaster-damaged tools for those self-employed or if the tools are required, but not provided, by an employer. USDA and other federal agencies may offer additional services for farmers such as:

• The Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish, which provides emergency assistance to eligible producers of livestock, honeybees and farm-raised fish for losses due to disease, adverse weather or other conditions, such as blizzards and wildfires.
• The Emergency Loan Program provides loans to help producers recover from production and physical losses due to drought, flooding, other natural disasters or quarantine by animal quarantine laws or imposed by the USDA Secretary under the Plant Protection Act.
• The Noninsured Disaster Assistance Program, which pays covered producers of covered non insurable crops when low yields, loss of inventory or prevented planting occurs due to natural disasters (includes native grass for grazing). Eligible producers must have purchased NAP coverage for the current crop year. 

In total, crop and farming infrastructure damages from Hurricane Milton are estimated to be between $1.5 billion - 2.5 billion, according to the state’s Commissioner of Agriculture. To put this in perspective, the state’s combined farming losses from hurricanes Idalia, Debby and Helene totaled $1.5 billion. 

In Madison County, there was an impressive turnout of 70 farmers at the Dec. 13 event. Local officials in this rural area were able to draw so many people by implementing county-wide outreach efforts. This and other best practices are encouraged to build awareness of future events. 

“Farmers face immense challenges after disasters, but they are not alone. Through Farm Recovery Centers, USDA, FEMA and local partners provide vital resources, such as grants for damaged equipment and Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish,” said Pudwill. “These centers are a one-stop shop, connecting farmers with the assistance they need to recover and thrive. By leveraging these resources, we’re ensuring the backbone of our economy—the agricultural community—remains strong and resilient.”

To learn more about help available to farmers before, during and after disasters, visit Assistance for Agriculture Businesses | FEMA.gov or Disaster Assistance Programs | Farm Service Agency.