Hurricane Recovery 
Hurricane Recovery
Over the past two years, Florida's Extension agents have rushed to help those effected by these terrible storms. Many local residents poured out their hearts, souls and wallets to help other in our own community as well as those in other areas. Please contact relief agencies to see what disaster veterans still need, as assistance will be needed for many years to come. Please do all that you can....
This page archives links and news reports that summarize what our office found to be helpful in times of great need. We are leaving them up to remember what happened, and in the hopes that we never have the need to use them again....
Page Quick links: Agency links & contacts Ag Producer Assistance Links Federal Disaster assistance Jeanne Response photos Archived notes on assistance for growers Impacts on nurseries & landscapes Disaster photos humor
![[USDA, Farm Service Agency - Disaster Assistance]](images/USDA.gif) . |
Okeechobee County FSA Contact Information |
 
(Federal
Emergency Management Agency)
|
|
 (US Small
Business Administration) |
 South
Florida Water Management District |
 Southeast Ag Net
for updated information from grower groups |
 St.
Johns River Management District |
 St.
Lucie County Extension Service Hurricane
Relief Information for Agriculture Growers |
|
|
Okeechobee
County FSA office: 450 US Hwy 98 N.,
|
 Go
to EDEN for Extension disaster information |
Other Agricultural Assistance Links
UF/IFAS Hurricane (Recovery) Tips for Farmers - press release by Yasmin Wallas from the North Florida Research & Education Center - suggestions for vegetable growers, nurseries, row crops, orchards & groves, greenhouses, and livestock
What to report to FEMA: A check list of information to have on hand before you call FEMA.
Summary of USDA Federal Disaster Assistance for Agricultural Producers, from USDA/ FSA, forwarded from FDACS. Link to USDA Hurricane relief website.
University of Florida Disaster Handbook - lots of preparation and recovery information for hurricane victims.
University of Illinois Extension Disaster Resources webpage - deals primarily with flooding issues.
UF/IFAS District 4 Extension Hurricane Page - an inside look at what went on with our Extension agent team.
![[USDA, Farm Service Agency - Disaster Assistance]](images/logo.gif){kind=logo}
Federal Disaster Assistance Grants:
Please be advised that Congress and /or the state Legislature must approve these funds before they become available. To facilitate this process, local Extension offices have helped the local USDA Farm Service Agencies to compile this information and have sent it on to our local lawmakers - who will request funding from Congress and/or the Legislature.
Growers suffering a loss should contact their local USDA Farm Service Agency with an estimate of damage to farm structures, equipment and crop losses ASAP. For a copy of the Natural Disaster Information sheet used by the Okeechobee FSA office, click here.
Procedure to obtain assistance grants: complete an submit this form to your local FSA office. When the date of the commodity sign-up begins, you will be contacted at the address/ phone number that you provided. An appointment will be made with you, and the application package will be provided to you by the local FSA representative.
At this time, payments for assistance are authorized under Section 32 of the Agricultural Act (8/24/1935) for producers of citrus, vegetables, and nursery crops grown in Florida counties that have received the Presidential Disaster Declaration for Hurricanes Charley, Frances, and Jeanne. See the USDA FSA Disaster Assistance website for details and signup dates.
Discussion continues between Congressional representatives, USDA staff and the leaders of the Beef and Dairy Industries to obtain a similar tiered reimbursement program for livestock and dairy producers. We will post similar links and additional information for these agricultural industries on this webpage as soon as it becomes available.
|
|
For maps showing the areas of Florida's Agriculture effected by the 2004 Hurricanes, Click here.
Hurricane Wilma: FEMA Disaster Declaration information Click
here.
 |
Okeechobee Extension, FSA, FDACS & NRCS Staff unloads FEMA water, ice, hand sanitizer, hay, tarps and MREs. They are being provided for the recovery of local dairy and farm families and their workers. We also want to thank Okeechobee FFA and Everglades Farm Equipment for the use of a their tractor and fork lift to unload this "materiel". |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Good News on Hurricane Relief: Friday, October 08, 2004 11:22 AM
" I just got off of a conference call with Congressman Adam Putnam regarding the passage of a big Hurricane disaster program bill that has passed and it contains $350million dollars for Beef Producers for Hurricane relief. The 3 programs that are funded are ECP, LAP and EWP. These are the programs we have been encouraging producers to sign up for at their local FSA offices. All the details are forthcoming but the funding has been appropriated.
We owe a huge Thank you to Congressman Putnam, Congressman Young and the entire Delegation from Florida for helping Florida Agriculture. Also the Florida Department of Agriculture and the National Cattlemen's Beef Association were very active in the negotiations for passage of these funds. Please join me in spreading the word on these programs and thank your Congressmen & Women and their staff, Commissioner Bronson and staff and NCBA.
As we get the details of the programs we will be communicating to all producers. It is a good day for Florida Beef Producers."
Jim Handley - Florida Cattlemen's Association
Summary of Livestock Listening Session / Tampa / 9-29-04 - email from Livestock Agent Brantley Ivy to Dr. Bob Sand.
Florida Beef Cattle Producers: Call for Immediate Action
Moving Forward
Together from Florida
Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services
Next to tourism, agriculture is Florida's second-largest
industry, generating an estimated $62 billion for
Florida's economy annually. Four hurricanes might be
able to briefly stall that economic engine, but they can't stop it.
Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne did their best
to put Florida's farmers and ranchers out of business. Generations of hard
work were nearly wiped from the face of the earth by their
fury. This foursome gave us their best shot; now
it's our turn.
The same dedication that built Florida's farming heritage will
also be the catalyst for rebuilding this proud industry. The men and women
of Florida agriculture are up to the challenge. Florida Agriculture may be
down but we're not out, and we're coming back strong.
Rebuilding and replanting will take time. In the meantime,
it is imperative that we let our customers know that,
while we may be delayed bringing our goods to market, the Florida products they
count on will be back soon. We've invested 15 years in building the "Fresh
from Florida" name throughout the United States and abroad, and we want our
brand to remain visible during this period of renewal.
That's why we've produced a new public service announcement
titled "Moving Forward Together." You can see a preview of this
TV spot in advance of its October statewide debut by
clicking on the link at the end of this email. Give it a moment - it will
auto-run.
We took it on the chin this year -- four times -- but Florida
Agriculture is already on the road to recovery. Florida's farmers know all
about hard work; we'll just work even harder now. To
preview video, go to http://www.florida-agriculture.com/index2.htm
and click on logo.
"After
the hurricanes, University of Florida experts urge mosquito control" -
press release by Yasmin Wallas
Press releases from the Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services:
Select 2004 or 2005 for hurricane articlesImpacts on Landscaping, Nurseries
A summary of the Treasure Coast Hurricane Frances Assistance meeting, including contacts and phone numbers held Thursday September 17, 2004 at the UF Indian River Research and Education Center in Fort Pierce is available by clicking here. Representatives from the agencies below were invited to make presentations and are available to answer your questions and provide assistance with recovery and relief of crop related damages
USDA
Help for Nursery Growers -
see press
release from FNGLA. President George W. Bush is directing up to $200
million in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) assistance to Florida’s
nursery growers hit by Hurricanes Charley and Frances.
Post-Hurricane Considerations for the Commercial Nursery - UF/IFAS Extension Bulletin ENH-108
Other Hurricane topic related bulletins from UF/IFAS - landscaping and agricultural production
2005 Photos of Hurricane Wilma's impact on areas south of Lake Okeechobee - click here
2004: Photos of the effects of Jeanne on the Treasure Coast- Vero Beach, Okeechobee, Indiantown - click here.
Photos of Frances on the Treasure Coast - click here!
Link to photos of Hurricane Ivan's destruction in the Florida Panhandle - Pensacola News Journal Galleries
Dan Culbert took photos of the damage to DeSoto and Hardee County areas to give an idea of what Charley did to the residents of southwest central Florida:
 |
Hardee County Agri-Civic Center in Wauchula - behind the County Extension office and Fairground Exhibit building |
 |
 |
Turner Agri-Civic Center, Arcadia.
This was used as a hurricane evacuation shelter; it had to be evacuated during the storm |
 |
 |
Left: this retaining wall has since been pushed down.
Right: no more sandwiches from this SubwayTM |
 |
 |
left: Citrus fruit was blown off trees in effected areas
Right: One less historic cracker house in Zolfo Springs
|
 |
 |
left: "Welcome to Wauchula..."
right - Traffic lights are out - treat all intersections as 4-way stops - some people have died in traffic accidents |
 |
Parting thoughts: For some humor and inspiration to aid in recovery, click here.
The
Florida Cooperative Extension Service - Institute of Food and
Agricultural Sciences is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer
authorized to provide research, educational information, and other services to
individuals and institutions that function without regard to race, color, sex,
age, handicap, or national origin. Florida
Cooperative
Extension Service / IFAS /
