Florida agricultural production losses from Hurricane Milton top $190M, UF economists estimate

Hurricane Milton caused agricultural production losses with an estimated value between $190.4 million and $642.7 million in Florida, according to a preliminary report by the UF/IFAS Economic Impact Analysis Program (EIAP).

The report is based on a diverse set of baseline data and surveys UF/IFAS agricultural economists distributed to producers.

Tornado damage from Hurricane Milton in St. Lucie County. (Cat Wofford, UF/IFAS)

Milton made landfall as a Category 3 storm on Oct. 9 near Siesta Key and generated significant tornado activity between Oct. 6 and Oct. 12. Hurricane-force winds impacted 14 Florida counties: Brevard, Charlotte, DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands, Hillsborough, Manatee, Orange, Osceola, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota, Seminole and Volusia.

An additional 43 Florida counties experienced tropical storm-force winds. Rainfall was concentrated in the western and central regions of the state, and some southwestern areas experienced cumulative totals above 18 inches between Oct. 6 and Oct. 12.