Polk Times

Congressman Scott Franklin (FL-18) has expressed his approval following the U.S. Department of Agriculture's announcement of $675.9 million in disaster assistance for Florida's agricultural community, which has been affected by recent hurricanes and natural disasters.

"Floridians are no strangers to the devastating impact of hurricanes," Franklin stated. "In recent years, our farmers, ranchers and producers have endured back-to-back hurricanes, historic flooding, drought and skyrocketing input costs. Despite these challenges, they have continued to do what they do best, feed Florida, our nation and the world. I applaud Secretary Brooke Rollins, the USDA and President Trump for delivering nearly $676 million in critically needed disaster relief for our agriculture community."

Franklin highlighted his efforts to ensure that Florida's agricultural sector receives appropriate support. He noted his role in leading the House passage of the Block Grant Assistance Act to enable rapid aid delivery to those impacted by Hurricanes Ian and Nicole. Additionally, he introduced the TEMP Act to protect farmers from penalties when receiving multiple forms of relief and co-led the Restore Agricultural Investment, Stability and Expansion (RAISE) Act to improve access to capital and disaster support for small and midsize producers.

"Florida plays a vital role in feeding the nation and our state’s ag sector deserves strong, consistent support," Franklin added. "I will continue fighting to make sure they have the tools and resources to recover, rebuild and thrive. With the right leadership in place, we are finally seeing the decisive action our agricultural industry has been waiting for."