A month after Hurricane Ian ravaged Southwest and Central Florida, farmers and ranchers continue to dig out and take stock of what remains of their operations. The extent of the widespread damage will take months to accurately assess and years to rebuild — four-fifths of the states’ citrus acres are battered, tomato and strawberry rows are submerged in muck, greenhouses and dairy equipment are without power, and hundreds of livestock have perished. The calls our Farmer Services Team is receiving (1-800-FARM-AID) reflect the desperation producers are feeling in the wake of such chaos.
Ideally, the USDA’s crop insurance and disaster relief programs, in effect as we speak, will kick start a wave of recovery. Such safety nets are being stretched in this new reality of extended droughts and calamitously destructive storms. While we collectively strive for better solutions and stronger programs to emerge from the 2023 Farm Bill, Farm Aid continues to connect producers with helpful organizations within their communities during this time of crisis. This Farm Aid disaster resource list is an early effort to do just that. Resources for other states affected by Ian are also included
Please be sure to check back often as programs evolve quickly and remember that Farm Aid is here for you in other ways as well. There are various ways to connect with us, including our Farmer Resource Network search tool, our Online Request for Assistance Form, and our Farmer Hotline. Feel free to call 1-800-FARM-AID (1-800-327-6243) between 8am and 9pm CT / 9am and 10pm ET Monday through Friday to connect with one of our operators.
Before reviewing the spreadsheet below, take some time with these three guides which provide an excellent overview of key points and resources in the event of a disaster:
Navigating Disaster Assistance for Farmers (PDF)
Rural Advancement Foundation International-USA’s Disaster Assistance
Farm Aid’s Disaster Assistance for Farmers
Resources for Farmers Affected by Hurricane Ian
View the resources below, or click here to view this on Google Sheets.
We work to keep this page up-to-date. If you know of additional resources you can share with us, please email farmhelp@farmaid.org or call our hotline at 1-800-FARM-AID.
