A recovery center for farmers who need disaster assistance due to Hurricane Idalia will open in Suwannee County on Thursday.
State officials estimate that Idalia caused up to $447 million in losses for Florida’s agriculture industry. The Federal Emergency Management Agency declared 16 Florida counties as disaster areas because of the storm.
That’s why Disaster Recovery Centers provide survivors with information from state and federal agencies, including FEMA, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the U.S. Small Business Administration. Survivors can get help applying for federal assistance and disaster loans and learn about other resources available.
The Farmers Recovery Center will be open at the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences in Live Oak. It’s located at 1302 11th Street SW. The hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
At the Farmers Recovery Center, you can learn about disaster assistance programs available for farmers. You will be able to meet with representatives from USDA Farm Service Agency, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA Rural Development and U.S. Small Business Administration.
There are several centers open in the area impacted by Hurricane Idalia. You do not have to go to a center in your county, you can visit any open center. To find a center close to you, go online to: DRC Locator or floridadisaster.org, or you can text DRC along with your Zip Code to 43362.
It is not necessary to visit a center. Survivors can apply online at disasterassistance.gov, use the FEMA mobile app or call 800-621-3362. The line is open every day from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET. Help is available in most languages. If you use a relay service, such as video relay (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service. To view an accessible video about how to apply visit: Three Ways to Register for FEMA Disaster Assistance - YouTube.
For the latest information on Florida’s recovery from Hurricane Idalia, visit floridadisaster.org/updates/ and fema.gov/disaster/4734. Follow FEMA on X, formerly known as Twitter, at twitter.com/femaregion4 and at facebook.com/fema.
