Ian struck a major blow to Florida agriculture, study finds

Oct. 19 (UPI) -- Hurricane Ian resulted in as much as $1.56 billion in losses for Florida's agricultural sector, from animal products to crops, a University of Florida study found.

Ian made landfall Sept. 29 on Florida's west coast as a Category 4 hurricane. The University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences began its survey of producers the following day.

Nikki Fried, Florida's agriculture commissioner, said the impact from Ian cannot be understated.

"After speaking with producers and seeing the devastation of Hurricane Ian firsthand, I am saddened, but not surprised by the estimated cost of this storm," she said Tuesday.

The University of Florida said Ian impacted close to 5 million acres of agricultural land that can yield more than $8.1 billion in agricultural products. While about 60% of that land is set aside for grazing, the university said citrus, vegetables and melons were hit the worst.

"We believe that the production losses for agricultural producers -- crops, livestock/aquaculture and animal products -- resulting from Hurricane Ian will likely be between $787 million and $1.56 billion," researchers found.

Florida's economy depends heavily on agriculture. In 2019, the last full year for which the state published data, the state ranked first in the nation in farms raising flowers in terms of cash receipts and second for items such as strawberries. Citrus, meanwhile, is a $1.1 billion industry for Florida, though growers said earlier this month they lost nearly 80% of their crop due to Ian.

The damage to Florida crops follows an assessment from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that found this year's forecast for citrus was already down 32% relative to year-ago levels.

"The impact on Florida's affected commodities cannot be understated, especially the heartbreaking damage to Florida citrus, an industry already facing significant challenges," Commissioner Fried said. "This assessment, along with our own internal evaluation, is the first step in the rebuilding process and my department will continue to work with state and federal partners to support our producers throughout the recovery process."