Governor Greg Abbott has asked for a USDA disaster designation for Cameron, Hidalgo, and Willacy counties. This is in response to severe winter weather.
This designation would make federal help, like emergency loans, available to agricultural producers who have suffered losses.
Governor Abbott says early estimates made by Texas Citrus Mutual show Texas citrus sustained approximately $305-million dollars in losses to the crop in Cameron, Hidalgo, and Willacy counties.
Governor Abbott says, "Texas agricultural producers continue to be greatly affected by the severe ice and freezing temperatures; these weather conditions have substantially affected producers and caused severe production losses.
These producers are in need of U.S. Department of Agriculture assistance to return to normal operations.
Total damage assessments are still being calculated, but daily agriculture operations across the entire state have been slowed both by the novel coronavirus and by loss of electricity and continued freezing temperatures caused by severe winter weather."