According to a UF/IFAS report released on Thursday, Florida’s agricultural production losses from Hurricane Debby are estimated to be between $93.7 million and $263.2 million. This number will be narrowed in the upcoming months. 

The preliminary assessment of agricultural losses and damages resulting from the hurricane shows that over 2.2 million acres of agricultural land were affected by Hurricane Debby, of which over 68% was grazing land. The university used various geographic information systems and software to determine the wind, rainfall, and flooding intensity each parcel of affected agricultural land experienced.  

By comparison, Hurricane Idalia was a Category 3 storm that affected 3.5 million acres last year, causing $276 million in agricultural production losses.

2.1% of the impacted agricultural land experienced high-intensity weather conditions, 56.3% experienced moderate-intensity weather conditions, and 41.6% had low-intensity weather conditions.

Animals and animal byproducts suffered the biggest production losses, from $41.1 million to $98.5 million, followed by field and row crops with $19.3 million to $53.1 million, and finally greenhouse and nursery $15.0 million to $53.6 million.

Production losses estimated for vegetables and melons in the affected area ($12.1 million - $32.1 million) are heavily dependent on planting schedules as well as the ability (or inability) to harvest prior to the hurricane event. 

Estimated production losses for Fruit (non-citrus) and Tree Nuts in the affected area ($3.0 million - $12.9 million) are expected due to damages from flooding and wind.

Hurricane Debby became a tropical storm on August 3rd and it gradually intensified, attaining Category 1 strength on August 4th before making landfall near Steinhatchee, FL (Taylor County) on August 5th.