DOVER, Florida — The state of Florida is getting a better idea of how much recent hurricanes are affecting farmers and so far, it's projected to be in the billions of dollars.
For decades in Hillsborough County, Hinton Farms Produce Inc. has remained a staple for its strawberries.
Its work is more important now after Hurricane Milton swept through acres of fields.
"Right away, we could see that we had damage from both water and wind, and we had a lot of flooded fields," said Jake Raburn of the farm.
The impact has left empty holes on beds where the storm washed out plants.
The farm is just one of several in Florida that have been damaged from recent hurricanes, which also include Helene and Debby, along with Idalia last year.
There are efforts from state leaders to get more federal help for farmers.
“When you talk about $2.5 to $3 billion in destruction, you’re talking about infrastructure, you’re talking about 18 to 36 months just to get back on your feet,” said Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson.
Simpson included the assessment in a letter Thursday asking U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to make assistance available to Florida farmers through the Farm Service Agency and other federal programs.
On Thursday, U.S. Sen. Rick Scott spoke in Hillsborough County, calling on the USDA to make block grant funding available quicker. Simpson also shared zero to low interest loans are available for farmers and growers that have been affected.
Raburn said despite the damages, there will still be strawberry season and strawberries available for people. There's a reason the farm still stands strong in spite of other challenges it has faced all these years.
"We are always working together to find solutions like we are now with damage from the hurricane to make sure that we can continue to feed the world," Raburn said.
Preliminary estimates from Simpson’s agency found Milton impacted 51 counties as it swept ashore Oct. 9 near Siesta Key in Sarasota County with 120 mph sustained winds.
Preliminary findings by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, known as UF/IFAS, estimate that Debby, which hit Florida Aug. 5 with 80 mph sustained winds, caused $93.7 million to $263.2 million in agricultural losses.