A WIDE Range of Milton Impact Estimates

These things take time, and while it feels like both yesterday and years ago for agricultural producers hit by Hurricane Milton, Friday brought the latest official impact numbers from the storm, which struck roughly two-and-a-half months ago.

It’s worth emphasizing that this report, still considered preliminary, is based on survey data from producers. I get it—paperwork isn’t fun—but this information is crucial for improving response efforts.

So, what do the numbers show? The UF/IFAS Economic Impact Analysis Program (EIAP) estimates Hurricane Milton caused between $190.4 million and $642.7 million in agricultural production losses in Florida.

Over 5.7 million acres of agricultural land were affected, with more than 68% being grazing land. Beyond grazing, the most impacted commodity groups in terms of acreage were field and row crops like hay and sugarcane, along with citrus, vegetables, melons, and potatoes.

For more, visit the full report: https://fred.ifas.ufl.edu/media/fredifasufledu/economic-impact-analysis/reports/FRE-Preliminary-Hurricane-Milton-Report.pdf