Freeze protection measures executed in defense of Florida’s citrus crop
This past week has meant some sleepless nights for the Florida Citrus industry and many growers around the state. On the heels of a very challenging cold front, where freeze protection measures had to be executed, there’s never been a better time to remind ourselves of this fact: Against all odds — and over centuries of challenges from diseases, hurricanes, freezes, pests and more — we’ve always persevered and prevailed.
It’s interesting to me how quickly some (who are far removed from the field) tend to forget, but this is not the Sunshine State’s first freeze, and it certainly won’t be the last one we ever see. The old saying that “history tends to repeat itself” has a vein of truth. Ask any citrus grower who’s been in this from the time he was born, having heard the stories from his parents and grandparents. He’ll quickly remind you of the “Christmas freeze” of 1989, which was preceded by freezes around the same holiday in 1981, ’83, and ’85. The freeze of 1957 brought with it snow to Central Florida. Before that, our ancestors saw more than one freeze at the turn of the 20th century. These events are called-to-mind and I’m grateful for our early weather warning technology, our collaborative spirit, our sustainable field management practices and our freeze protection strategies.
I’m also grateful to each of you— for your continued perseverance and hope that we’ll come through on the other side with our fruit intact and our trees without damage. Still, that might not be the story for everyone, which is why the next few weeks spent assessing the groves will tell the full story.
My hope and prayer through this challenge— like all challenges great and small— is that God protects and blesses the Florida Citrus grower and the trees He has put in our care.
As a reminder, the next regularly scheduled FCC Meeting will be on March 18 at 9:00 a.m. EST, and will be held at the Florida Department of Citrus, 605 E. Main Street, Bartow.
Steve Johnson is Chairman of the Florida Citrus Commission, which oversees the Florida Department of Citrus. He is the owner and general manager of Johnson Harvesting, Inc., based in Wauchula, FL.