HOBE SOUND, Fla. — U.S. Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., met with farmers and growers on Friday to walk them through federal relief options available after a historic cold snap caused widespread agricultural damage.
Some areas of the Treasure Coast and Palm Beach County experienced their lowest temperatures since December 1989 after a Feb. 1 freeze.
WATCH BELOW: Florida growers can apply for low-interest emergency loans after losses from cold
Mast, along with staff from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Small Business Administration, hosted the meeting at the Hobe Sound Farmers Market to help growers understand how to access assistance following Florida's emergency declaration tied to the cold snap.
Carson Wales, owner of Mr. Landscape Wholesale in Hobe Sound, was among those who attended. His nursery lost around $1 million worth of inventory during the cold snap, forcing him to cut his staff from 10 to 4 people.
"You can see over here, this side, these trees are completely dead," Wales showed WPTV reporter Tyler Hatfield on Friday. "That stuff there is pretty much toast."
Wales said he is working to rebuild, but recovery will take time.
"I'm planting up more material, but it'll take a while ... 1, 2, 3 years before it comes in," Wales said.
He said the financial toll has been severe and immediate.
"I need some assistance. Just to kind of stay open. The cleanup alone is $100,000," Wales said.
Mast described the scale of the damage facing farmers in the region.
We’re at our Farmers Freeze Recovery meeting to talk through recovery resources and available federal assistance for farmers impacted by last month's freeze. pic.twitter.com/ZPmiKXHt5Z
— Rep. Brian Mast (@RepBrianMast) March 13, 2026
"It's like a wildfire hitting somebody else's operations," Mast said.
According to Mast, farmers can now apply for low-interest emergency loans of up to $500,000. Growers can also apply for the USDA's Tree Assistance Program (TAPS), which will help replace lost trees and plants, and for the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP), which helps pay for tree/plant removal.
Mast said the goal of the meeting was to make sure farmers know where to turn.
"That's the goal in a lot of this, just helping them understand what the right assistance is to look for," Mast said.
He added that he wants the application process to go smoothly for those already dealing with significant losses.
"(We want to) get it all done right the first time, so that nobody's inconvenienced even more by the tragedy that they're going through for their operations," Mast said.
Despite the hardship, Wales said he is focused on moving forward.
"Life goes on," Wales said. "You've got to move forward."
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