Florida Freeze Disaster Assistance Act

This bill would provide $3.5 billion in emergency funding to the Department of Agriculture for block grants to states impacted by specific freeze and cold weather events. These funds would compensate producers for revenue, quality, or production losses affecting crops, trees, bushes, and vines in counties designated as disaster areas on March 4, 2026. The assistance would specifically include compensation for multi-year crop losses and would be released upon the request of a state's department of agriculture or relevant agency.

This bill affects agricultural producers in specific counties in Alabama, Florida, and Georgia that received a USDA disaster designation for freeze and cold weather conditions on March 4, 2026. Eligible parties include those who suffered losses related to crops, trees, bushes, vines, and multi-year crops. Additionally, state departments of agriculture or other appropriate state agencies are responsible for requesting and administering the provided block grant funding.

• Emergency funding for agricultural disaster block grants. Provides $3.5 billion to the Department of Agriculture for block grants to states to address losses in crop revenue, quality, or production resulting from freeze or cold weather conditions.
• Eligibility based on specific disaster designations. Limits funding to losses occurring in counties in Alabama, Florida, and Georgia that received a USDA disaster designation for freeze and cold weather on March 4, 2026.
• Compensation for multi-year crop losses. Requires that the provided assistance include compensation for producers who suffered losses related to trees, bushes, vines, and other multi-year crops.
• State-initiated fund distribution. Directs that funds be made available upon the formal request of a state department of agriculture or another appropriate state agency.

The bill requires funds to be made available upon the request of a state department of agriculture or other appropriate state agency.

The bill utilizes the Department of Agriculture's existing disaster designation framework to identify eligible counties and provides emergency funding to be administered through state departments of agriculture or other state agencies.

The bill aims to provide $3.5 billion in emergency funding to the Department of Agriculture for block grants to states to compensate producers for crop, tree, bush, and vine losses resulting from freeze or cold weather conditions. This assistance is specifically intended for losses in counties in Alabama, Florida, and Georgia that received a federal disaster designation for freeze conditions on March 4, 2026.