Scott Franklin

U.S. Senators Rick Scott and Ashley Moody of Florida on June 2 introduced the Florida Freeze Disaster Assistance Act. Congressman Scott Franklin of Florida is leading the bill in the U.S. House of Representatives.

This past winter, Florida's agricultural producers faced consecutive weeks of subzero temperatures during the state's peak citrus, berry and corn-growing season, amounting to more than $3 billion in damages to seasonal crops.

"When a severe freeze hits Florida, many specialty crops and multi-year commodities face years of production losses... My legislation builds on proven disaster response models by giving states more flexibility to deliver targeted relief," Franklin said.