Feb 23, 2026

Freeze fallout: Florida tallies massive losses in fruit, vegetable and specialty Crops

Florida commissioner of agriculture Wilton Simpson recently shared a startling fact in the aftermath of the deep freeze that hit the Southeast: total estimated crop losses from the storm eclipsed $3 billion across the state’s diverse agricultural sectors.

The Sunshine State’s sugarcane industry was hit the hardest with over $1 billion in total estimated losses, while citrus crops (nearly $700M), strawberries (just over $300M) and protected ag crops ($240M) also suffered significant losses due to freeze and frost damage.

“It is clear that our state’s farmers, ranchers, and growers – who we rely on daily to feed and nourish our communities – need timely and substantial support,” said Simpson. “Working hand in hand with producer groups and our congressional delegation, we stand ready to accept and quickly administer federal block grant funding to support our impacted producers to recover, to replant and to keep our nation fed.”

The following preliminary estimates highlight the losses to Florida’s diverse agricultural sectors, including vegetables and melons, citrus, sugarcane, fruits, horticulture, and aquaculture.

Current estimated losses include:

• Tomatoes: $164,273,849
• Strawberries: $306,965,897
• Watermelons $65,437,343
• Sweet Corn: $255,363,251
• Sugarcane: $1,152,122,146
• Bell Peppers: $108,380,389
• Potatoes: $79,065,000
• Cabbage: $21,800,280
• Squash: $24,522,275
• Blueberries: $78,512,400
• Greenhouse and Nursery: $240,000,000
• Citrus: $674,660,336

According to the Florida Department of Agriculture, the estimates draw on data from the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, the Florida Census of Agriculture, USDA Market News, UF-IFAS Preliminary Freeze Event Assessment, early survey and early communication between FDACS, industry leaders, and individual producers who are currently engaged in large-scale recovery efforts.

You can view a PDF file of FDACS’ preliminary estimates below.

And here are a handful of resources from Fruit Growers News on handling extreme cold/frost events in orchards, vineyards and berry blocks:

Techniques for managing frost in vegetable and fruit crops

Tips offered to handle apple frost damage during harvest

Minimize frost damage in strawberries

How cold does it have to be to hurt the grapes with the next frost?

Low-tech strategies for fighting frost shouldn’t be ignored