Florida’s nursery, growers and landscapers were hit hard by Hurricane Ian

Guest Commentary

Posted 12/23/22

Florida’s agriculture industry is critical to our state’s heritage and economy and cannot be...

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Florida’s nursery, growers and landscapers were hit hard by Hurricane Ian

Guest Commentary

Posted

Florida’s agriculture industry is critical to our state’s heritage and economy and cannot be overlooked when Congress considers disaster relief legislation.

I opened Fish Branch Tree Farm with my wife in 1988. What started as a 25-acre operation has grown to 325 acres and employs a staff of 40 individuals. Together, we work hard to grow trees and plants that support our environment and make Florida homes, businesses and communities beautiful.

Our product line ranges from oaks to pines to hollies to palms. You can find our trees in retail stores all over Florida, as far west as Arizona and reaching north to the Carolinas! In our 34 years of operation, we’ve even made some international shipments.

I am just one of the more than 266,000 Floridians working in the nursery and landscape industry in the Sunshine State. Collectively, this industry contributes more than $30 billion in economic impact to our state.

Like many industries across our state, the nurseries did not escape Hurricane Ian unharmed. Hurricane Ian touched nearly five million acres of agricultural land in Florida, leaving devastation and long-term consequences in its wake.

Damages to my farm alone will total more than $2 million. According to UF/IFAS, Florida’s horticultural industry is facing losses nearing $300 million and will suffer from a 25% annual production loss.

My farm was hit hard by heavy winds and widespread flooding. After Ian passed, we quickly discovered many trees that were no longer vertical and had exposed root systems. Once a tree’s root system is exposed, the clock starts ticking to get the roots back in the ground before they dry out and the tree is beyond repair. Standing up dozens of massive fallen trees requires tremendous work, and our team struggled to get all that material righted again.

Even the trees that remained standing through Hurricane Ian faced risks from flooding. With the rivers full, there wasn’t any place for the rain water to go. Our pines were underwater for a week, and that standing water can suffocate the root system.

One thing to know about tree farming, it is a patient man’s game. It takes years for trees to grow to a sellable size and maturity. Subsequently, it will take us years to recover from Hurricane Ian. But as I like to say, there is no crying in tree farming.

We are committed to our work, and we are resilient. I know we will bounce back. But we need help and support from our partners in the federal government.

I urge the members of Congress to provide much needed relief for all the residents and businesses across Florida that suffered long-term damages from Hurricane Ian, nursery growers included. This critical funding will help make businesses like mine whole, enabling us to continue to keep our nation beautiful.

John Conroy is the owner and founder of Fish Branch Tree Farm, located in Zolfo Springs. He’s a member of the Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association.

hurricane ian, agriculture, damage

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