Surges of Arctic air that have pushed as far south as Florida have threatened an important fruit crop, and farmers in the Sunshine State have been on edge about recent cold conditions.
What’s happening?
Plant City, Florida, is the “Winter Strawberry Capital of the Nation,” according to the Florida Strawberry Growers Association. The Plant City-Dover area grows over 13,000 acres of berries. Florida is a leading producer of the sweet, luscious fruit. The state produces nearly 15% of the country’s strawberries, and almost all of the berries are grown during the winter season.
Recent outbreaks of Arctic air have broken records as far south as Florida, putting their precious crops at risk. Matt Parke farms 300 acres of strawberries in Plant City and has had to take extra measures to protect his crops from frost and freeze damage.
“Right now what we’re trying to do is protect the Valentine’s Day fruit that we’re going to be picking here pretty soon,” Parke told WFLA-TV prior to a recent cold snap. “It could take literally 30 minutes for you to have a catastrophic failure.”…