The fight to recover continues for Florida farmers after Hurricane Helene

MADISON, Fla. (WFLA) — Florida farmers are facing significant challenges in their recovery following Hurricane Helene’s devastation.

Cheri Platt, owner of ‘Deep Roots Meat’ in Madison, Florida, shared her family’s struggle to secure government aid when waiting for assistance after Hurricane Idalia struck the state in 2023.

“This is America,” Platt said. “Farmers and ranchers, we are what’s keeping this country moving.”

The Platts have raised cattle in Florida for six generations and devoted years of their time preparing their property for cattle ever since 2004. Whether it was building fences, drilling wells, installing waters lines or water troughs, the Platts have put their heart and souls into their property.

With the efforts Cheri and her family have made to maintain their land for over 20 years, they are hoping to gain support and assistance from the government after Hurricane Helene’s path tore through their ranch.

“Idalia was bad, but I think this storm might have been worse because of the wind factor,” Platt said. “We just put a new roof on the house and shed but have now lost the shed roof again.”

The Platts are not the only ones with devastating damage to their farms and ranches, and Florida Congressional leaders are hoping they can help.

On Wednesday, 15 Congressional leaders across the aisle wrote a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), to issue a Disaster Declaration for Florida’s counties that were impacted by the hurricane.

Senators Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), and Rick Scott (R-Fla.), were joined by U.S. Representatives Mike Waltz (R), Kathy Castor (D), Cory Mills (R), Maxwell Frost (D), Matt Gaetz (R), Darren Soto (D), Bill Posey (R), Kat Cammack (R), Neal Dunn (R), Mario Díaz-Balart (R), Scott Franklin (R), John Rutherford (R), and Greg Steube (R).

The Senators and Representatives are urging immediate assistance in the form of state block grants to expedite support for Florida’s farmers and agricultural producers as they recover from the impacts of the storm.

“I am very concerned,” Platt said. “I think the Government needs to help us and need to not trickle down. They need to provide for us. We had to turn in a lot of information, try to verify it, to try and get that help which we still haven’t gotten yet.”

Platt believes the best way for state and national leaders to understand the damage that’s been done is to come out in person and see it themselves.

“I think they need to put their money where their mouth is and help us,” Platt said. “They need to understand how valuable the farmers and ranchers are.”

Platt shared the message she tells her grandson. Instead of saying “Stop, Drop, and Roll,” she likes to say “Stop, Drop, and Pray.”

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