Report: Hurricane Ian farm loss could reach $1.56B

By CURT ANDERSON
Associated Press

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — A new report finds preliminary agriculture losses in Florida from Hurricane Ian’s high winds and drenching rains could reach $1.56 billion, with citrus, cattle, vegetable and melon operations hit the hardest. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences report Tuesday said there could be many impacts that are yet to emerge from flooded acreage and depend in part on whether some damaged crops can be replanted to salvage some of the winter vegetable growing season. The estimated losses this year are for a high scenario of $1.56 billion and a low potential loss of about $787 million.