USDA Declares Natural Disaster Areas in Wake of Wicked Winter Blasts
March 6, 2026 Winter 2026 will be one to remember for Florida farmers. Or, better put — one they’d rather forget. Starting late January through the first few days of February, an extreme cold mass of Arctic air accompanying multiple winter storms invaded deep into the southern part of the U.S., including through the Florida Peninsula. The widespread winter storm and freeze events devastated sensitive crops, despite best efforts from growers to protect them. Preliminary estimates of losses to Florida agriculture from the recent freezes add up to more than $3 billion, according to a report from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). Now, USDA has declared 26 counties in Florida natural disaster areas, along with several counties in Georgia and beyond.
This natural disaster designation allows the USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters through emergency loans. The emergency declaration includes what the government agency calls “triggering disasters.” In this case, there are five of them.
Triggering Disaster #1
Impacted Area: Florida and Georgia
Triggering Disaster: Freeze and frost that occurred Jan. 23, 2026, through Feb. 5, 2026.
Application Deadline: Nov. 4, 2026
Primary Counties Eligible:
Florida: Dixie, Gilchrist, Glades, Hendry, Highlands, Jefferson, Leon, Levy, Madison, Martin, Okeechobee, and Putnam
Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:
Florida: Alachua, Bradford, Broward, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, DeSoto, Flagler, Gadsden, Hamilton, Hardee, Indian River, Lafayette, Lee, Liberty, Marion, Osceola, Palm Beach, Polk, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Suwannee, Taylor, Volusia, and Wakulla
Georgia: Brooks, Grady, Lowndes, and Thomas
Triggering Disaster #2
Impacted Area: Florida
Triggering Disaster: Freeze, frost, and high winds that occurred Jan. 23, 2026, through Feb. 5, 2026.
Application Deadline: Nov. 4, 2026
Primary Counties Eligible:
Florida: Alachua, Bradford, Charlotte, and Collier
Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:
Florida: Baker, Broward, Clay, Columbia, DeSoto, Gilchrist, Glades, Hendry, Highlands, Lee, Levy, Marion, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Putnam, Sarasota and Union
Triggering Disaster #3
Impacted Area: Florida
Triggering Disaster: Freeze, frost, ice and high winds that occurred Jan. 23, 2026, through Feb. 5, 2026.
Application Deadline: Nov. 4, 2026
Primary Counties Eligible:
Florida: Broward, Palm Beach and Sumter
Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:
Florida: Citrus, Collier, Glades, Hendry, Hernando, Lake, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Okeechobee, Pasco and Polk
Triggering Disaster #4
Impacted Area: Florida
Triggering Disaster: Freeze that occurred Jan. 23, 2026, through Feb. 5, 2026.
Application Deadline: Nov. 4, 2026
Primary County Eligible:
Florida: Taylor
Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:
Florida: Dixie, Jefferson, Lafayette and Madison
Triggering Disaster #5
Impacted Area: Florida, Alabama and Georgia
Triggering Disaster: Freeze, frost and ice that occurred Jan. 23, 2026 through Feb. 5, 2026.
Application Deadline: Nov. 4, 2026
Primary Counties Eligible:
Florida: Citrus, Hernando, Indian River, Jackson, Pasco and St. Lucie
Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:
Florida: Bay, Brevard, Calhoun, Gadsden, Hillsborough, Holmes, Levy, Liberty, Marion, Martin, Okeechobee, Osceola, Pinellas, Polk, Sumter and Washington
Alabama: Geneva and Houston
Georgia: Seminole
In response to the natural disaster designations, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson released this statement: “Beyond the desperately needed federal support and financing that this declaration will now make available, it is also an acknowledgement of the incredible hardship and loss that Florida’s growers experienced from the historic freezes. This was one of the most damaging freeze events in Florida agriculture’s history, with our preliminary estimates totaling over $3 billion in agricultural losses. Florida agriculture now needs equally historic support. A strong and vibrant domestic food supply is critical to our national security and sovereignty, and Florida’s farmers feed America, especially during the winter. I look forward to working with the USDA to connect our impacted producers with these newly released recovery resources, and any additional federal support that becomes available in the future.”
Resources for Growers Affected by the Freezes
On farmers.gov, the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster Assistance-at-a-Glance fact sheet, and Loan Assistance Tool can help you determine program or loan options.
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