Sen. Rick Scott & Florida Colleagues Urge USDA to Approve Disaster Declaration Request, Issue Block Grants to Recover from Hurricane Helene

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Senator Rick Scott led a bipartisan group of his Florida delegation colleagues in a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack supporting the State of Florida's request to issue a Disaster Declaration for Florida's counties that were impacted by Hurricane Helene. Additionally, Senator Scott and his colleagues are urging the secretary to make assistance available immediately in the form of state block grants to expedite support for Florida's farmers and agricultural producers as they recover from the destructive impacts of the storm. Joining Senator Scott on the letter are Senator Marco Rubio and Representatives Michael Waltz, Cory Mills, Matt Gaetz, Bill Posey, Kathy Castor, Kat Cammack, Neal Dunn, Mario Diaz-Balart, Scott Franklin, Maxwell Frost, Darren Soto, John Rutherford and Greg Steube.

Read the full letter HERE or below.

October 1, 2024

Dear Secretary Vilsack:

We write in support of the State of Florida's request for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to issue a Disaster Declaration for Florida's counties that were impacted by Hurricane Helene, and urge you to make assistance available immediately in the form of state block grants to expedite support for Florida's farmers and agricultural producers as they recover from the destructive impacts of the storm.

Florida's growers play a critical role in the American food economy. As one of the few states where major agricultural production can occur in the winter and spring months, Florida's farms provide fresh, domestically grown food to over 100 million Americans along the eastern seaboard when it's needed most. To support the growers and producers who were affected by Hurricane Helene, and to ensure that they can recover from losses and continue their important service of feeding America, the expeditious approval of a Disaster Declaration is necessary to have a successful winter and spring harvest season.

Your support for the State of Florida's request would make a difference for our growers and will assist in their recovery to ensure they can continue to contribute to our food security and national security.

Thank you for your prompt consideration of this request.

Senator Scott encourages any Floridians in need of assistance with a federal agency, including FEMA and the SBA, or any other federal issue while recovering from Hurricane Helene to contact his office at www.rickscott.senate.gov/contact/casework. Find additional resources and information on Hurricane Helene response and recovery at www.rickscott.senate.gov/hurricane-season-resources or from the Florida Division of Emergency Management at floridadisaster.org or @FLSERT.

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