A preliminary report on the impact Hurricane Milton had on Florida's agricultural economy paints a profoundly sad picture of the landscape after the massive storm ripped across the peninsula in October.
What's happening?
According to the Gainesville Sun, the University of Florida's Economic Impact Analysis Program's (EIAP) preliminary report on the impact of Milton estimated the agricultural losses from the storm at between $190 million and $643 million.
The Category 3 hurricane hit Florida on October 9 and generated significant tornado activity in Florida between October 6 and 12. It impacted 15 counties directly, and 5.7 million acres of agricultural land that produces $8.6 billion in products each year.
"Milton resulted in higher agricultural losses than Hurricane Helene, not only because it caused more intense weather conditions overall, but also because areas producing high-value commodities experienced higher-intensity weather conditions," said Xiaohui Qiao, EIAP research assistant professor, per the Gainesville Sun.
Milton was a tricky storm to analyze because it hit so soon after Hurricane Helene, which battered Florida in late September, so the team created high and low estimates for the possible damage.
Greenhouse and nursery produce was the most heavily impacted by the storm, suffering between $66.9 million and $177 million in losses, while vegetables, potatoes, and melons weren't far behind at between $52.5 million and $233 million, the Gainesville Sun reported.
Why is crop loss important?
Anytime an agricultural region experiences this kind of natural disaster, the loss of product and infrastructure can lead to national and global shortages in that product. With farms often running on razor-thin margins to deliver enough to meet demand, consumers can expect to see less of the fruits and vegetables they want on shelves for a bit until supply can restabilize.
On top of that, because the margins for farmers are so thin, any kind of major loss like this can leave them in serious financial straits.
Beyond the direct impact of the economics of natural disasters, these sorts of storms are also a harbinger of the consequences of our warming planet. Serious disasters are happening more and more frequently, and getting stronger as oceans warm up and become more fertile grounds for hurricanes to gain strength before hitting land.
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What's being done about crop loss?
In the case of storm-related agricultural losses, there's not much that can be done directly. However, scientists are working to relieve some of the stress that can come from the impact of our warming planet on farming.
Researchers have found plants that thrive in polluted soils, which could allow us to grow crops on land previously thought to be not agriculturally viable. They've created a new film that can protect crops from frost, while also reducing plastic waste. And they've developed a new, shorter corn that can better survive stronger storms, reducing potential losses from severe weather events.
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