Florida experienced one of the most damaging freezes in more than a decade this winter. The February episode of the All In For Citrus podcast addresses the impacts the freeze had on citrus.
Michael Rogers, director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center, notes that it will take some time for the full scale of damage to be sorted out. He adds the intensity of damage varied from location to location, but early reports are that some groves took on significant damage.
Matt Smith, UF/IFAS Extension commercial crop production and food systems agent for Lake and Orange counties, shares what he is observing in terms of damage. He noted there is significant damage in the counties he serves.
Smith also talks about the potential disaster relief programs that might be forthcoming and how growers can prepare to be in a good position to receive funds. A key element of this is documenting all damage that has occurred on the farm. That damage could include lost fruit, injured or dead trees, or broken equipment like irrigation pipes. Take many photos to document the damage, Smith advises.
While not directly related to the freeze, Smith also discusses the recently announced Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers Program. This U.S. Department of Agriculture bridge payment program is making a total of $1 billion available to specialty crop growers. The deadline to apply is March 13.
Muhammad Shahid, UF/IFAS assistant professor at the North Florida Research and Education Center, details agronomic measures growers can take to rehabilitate freeze-damaged trees. He says a key is patience to give trees time to adjust before taking actions like fertilization and pruning.
Don’t miss this month’s episode of All In For Citrus. The podcast is a partnership between UF/IFAS and AgNet Media.