Hurricane Milton set to Make Landfall in Florida as Helene Damages are Assessed

Category Five Hurricane Milton, which is set to make landfall in Florida late Wednesday or early Thursday, could be the “worst storm to hit Florida in over a century,” according to President Joe Biden. It comes at a difficult time for residents of the southeastern U.S., who are still grappling with the major agriculture and infrastructure damages caused by Hurricane Helene.

Poultry, cattle, fruit, cotton, tree nuts and vegetables, among many other agricultural products, bore the brunt of the damage [from Helene]. Timber — which can take decades to reach maturity — was also greatly affected.

Nearly 100,000 farms were in Helene’s direct path, according to 2022 USDA Census of Agriculture data analyzed by the American Farm Bureau Federation.

Damages to poultry operations, including eggs, totaled over $6.3 billion, according to a Market Intel report released by AFBF Tuesday. Over 80% of U.S. poultry production value is concentrated in the Florida, the Carolinas and Georgia counties most severely affected by Hurricane Helene.

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