Florida Disaster Relief on Track and CattleCon Breaks Attendance Record
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson with your Agribusiness Update.
**Florida Ag Commissioner Wilton Simpson announced beginning February 25, Florida’s ag producers can apply for more than $600 million in disaster assistance for impacts from the 2023-24 hurricane seasons.
Simpson is also asking the federal government to approve Florida’s disaster block grant program to fund relief for ag producers impacted by the recent ice storm.
Eligible producers can apply for grant funding for infrastructure damage, market loss, citrus loss, and timber damage from recent hurricanes.
To learn more, go to www.fdacs.gov/Agriculture-Industry/Florida-Block-Grant-Disaster-Relief-Program
**Farmer sentiment weakened sharply in January as the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer dropped from 136 in December to 113.
The Current Conditions Index dropped 19 points while the Future Expectations dipped 25.
The largest decline was when asked whether U.S. agriculture would have good times or bad during the next five years.
That index fell from 122 to 88, marking its lowest point since September 2024.
**CattleCon 2026 has broken the all-time attendance record, with more than 9,400 cattle producers and industry stakeholders converging in downtown Nashville.
The largest event of its kind brings the cattle and beef industry together each year for business meetings, education, and engagement.
NCBA President Buck Wehrbein (WHERE-byne) says the record demonstrates the dedication our producers have toward driving beef demand and creating policy that secures a bright future for the next generation.
