Today, we take a look at a region impacted by severe weather this year.
Hurricane Irma wreaked havoc in Florida in early September, hitting the state?s agriculture economy hard. Ricky Telg, professor of agricultural education and communication at the University of Florida, in Gainesville, says authorities are still tallying the damage.
?The preliminary assessment is $10.5 billion in damage to Florida?s agriculture industry, with the citrus growers and nurseries suffering the greatest losses two weeks ago,? Telg said. ?(That?s) just the initial assessment. The Commissioner of Agriculture is expecting to see even greater economic losses when accounting for the loss of future production and cost to rebuild infrastructure related to Hurricane Irma.?
Damages to Florida?s cattle industry totals $230 million and damage estimates to Florida?s dairy industry come in at $12 million. Hurricane Irma impacted agriculture all across the state, with damages being especially bad in central and southern Florida
Citrus growers have been known to bounce back from hurricane damage in the past. However, growers were hit twice as hard with Hurricane Irma and citrus greening. The recovery process became even more challenging.
Citrus greening, a bacterial disease, can affect productivity – causing a tree to produce smaller and discolored fruit which could drop prematurely from trees.
Overall, the time could not have been worse for citrus growers in Florida.
Citrus losses are estimated at $761 million.
Telg says the trickle-down effect of economic loss will be felt throughout all of Florida?s rural communities.
Now turning to California, where wine country has been overrun with fires.
Despite devastating fires, Napa Valley remains open to visitors. Patrick Cavanaugh reports…
