University of Florida researchers say artificial intelligence may soon give Florida farmers a faster, easier way to assess hurricane crop damage.

In January, UF researchers told the Florida Senate Agriculture Committee that three hurricanes in 2024 led to as much as $975.8 million in agricultural production losses. But pinpointing storm damage can take days or even weeks—time many farmers can’t afford.

Now, scientists at UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) are developing an AI tool designed to deliver near-instant insights after a storm.

Led by assistant professor Nikos Tziolas, the project uses satellite imagery and a chat-based interface to answer farmers’ questions in plain language—similar to ChatGPT.

“The user, the farmer, can open the chat and ask, ‘What areas are flooded in my field?’ or ‘How does my crop health compare to last year after the event?’” Tziolas said.

He added that the system processes data from across Florida automatically and doesn’t require users to be tech experts. “The key component here is that non-experts, like farmers or extension agents, can interact with the system using a simple natural language question.”

While drones are another option for post-storm assessment, Tziolas noted they can be costly and don’t offer the same wide-scale mapping or trend analysis his AI platform provides.

The prototype will soon be tested on farms in Immokalee (Collier County) and Ona (Hardee County), with feedback expected in the next six months.

Developers hope to have the tool ready for statewide use by the 2026 hurricane season. The project is funded by a $297,000 grant from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

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(Image credit: Growing Produce)

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