Sens. Rick Scott, Ashley Moody Introduce the Florida Freeze Disaster Assistance Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Rick Scott and Ashley Moody introduced the Florida Freeze Disaster Assistance Act, which would deliver $3.5 billion in much-needed direct relief to Florida's agriculture community in response to the state's recent freeze in March.

Congressman Scott Franklin (FL-18) is leading this bill in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Senator Scott said, "Florida farmers and ranchers produce the best food in the world, but this freeze has been tough for them, and the entire agriculture industry. Our state feeds families and creates jobs across the country. Put simply, everyone needs relief here, and that's why I'm proud to lead this bill in the Senate alongside my fellow Floridians in the House. Our farmers and ranchers are resilient; they will bounce back. It's time to provide them with the assistance they need to do that."

Senator Moody said, "While lots of Floridians experienced the historic freeze earlier this year, our farmers were especially hard hit with significant damage to many of their crops. I'm glad to see this important legislation that provides emergency funding to deliver disaster assistance through State-administered block grants. I will continue fighting to ensure our farmers have what they need to succeed when it comes to feeding Florida and the rest of the nation."

Congressman Scott Franklin said, "Florida agriculture operates differently than much of the country, and our disaster response policies need to reflect that reality. When a severe freeze hits Florida, many specialty crops and multi-year commodities face years of production losses, replanting costs and long-term financial impacts. Too often, growers are forced into a slow, one size fits all federal process that fails to reflect the realities of Florida agriculture. My legislation builds on proven disaster response models by giving states more flexibility to deliver targeted relief, cut unnecessary bureaucracy and help producers recover. For many growers, this is about preserving operations their families have spent generations building."

Specifically, the Florida Freeze Disaster Assistance Act would:

1. Provide $3.5 billion in emergency supplemental funding to the USDA to deliver aid through state-administered block grants
2. Helps compensate producers for losses of revenue, quality and production caused by freeze and cold weather events
3. Covers prevented planting and damage to trees, bushes and vines & explicitly includes compensation for multi-year crop losses
4. Direct assistance to counties that received USDA freeze disaster designations issued on March 4, 2026
5. Require states to request assistance funding through USDA

Winter freezes pose a severe threat to Florida's agricultural sector. This past winter, Florida's agricultural producers faced consecutive weeks of subzero temperatures during the states peak berry, corn-growing and citrus season, amounting to over $3 billion in damages of seasonal crops. Senator Rick Scott is committed to ensuring that Florida's agricultural community has the support they need to rebuild and come back stronger than ever.

Supporting Organizations include: Florida Farm Bureau; Florida Citrus Mutual; Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association; Florida Strawberry Growers Association; Florida Sugar Cane League; Florida Tomato Exchange

Click HERE to read the full bill text.

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