PHOTOS: Commissioner Fried Surveys Hurricane Sally Damage, Visits Farms & Escambia Emergency Operations Center

Tallahassee, Fla. – Yesterday, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried visited the Florida Panhandle to survey damage and speak with local officials and farmers about recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Sally. The visit comes as the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) continues to deploy resources and personnel from the department’s Florida Forest Service and Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement.

“Years of extreme weather, droughts, and storms like Hurricane Sally have made it tougher for North Florida farmers. Family farms in the area are facing up to 80 percent losses to cotton and massive losses to other crops like peanuts and corn,” said Commissioner Fried. “FDACS is committed to standing with our farmers and everyone in the Panhandle community. We will continue to support Hurricane Sally response efforts and communicate the needs of Florida’s farmers to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and state and federal officials. As I vowed following Hurricane Michael, we will not forget the Florida Panhandle in the wake of disaster.”

Commissioner Fried was briefed at the Escambia County Emergency Operations Center by officials about the response efforts and needs, met with Escambia County Commissioner Lumon May at the Brownsville Community Center where the Florida National Guard, county officials, and local partners distributed supplies, and met with farmers to assess crop damages and discuss the support needed to recover.

PHOTOS/VIDEO: High-resolution photos and video of the visit may be downloaded here.

Farm damage: Commissioner Fried met with local farmers at Jenkins Farms in Jay, Florida. Over fifty growers from northern Santa Rosa and Escambia County attended the Sunday afternoon meeting with Commissioner Fried to share their concerns and discuss the assistance needed for recovery. Hurricane Sally's excessive rainfall caused fields to be nearly submerged, with some farmers reporting well over a foot of rain that has decimated crops. Many of the local crops, including peanuts, cotton, corn, and more, are facing major losses of an estimated 80 percent or higher. Some farmers estimate they may have 100 percent total losses for certain crops. 

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