Statement regarding Hurricane Irma from Florida Department of Citrus Executive Director Shannon Shepp:
“Given the size of the storm, Hurricane Irma’s impact is wide and far-reaching across the state of Florida. With the storm having passed through Monday, Florida Citrus growers are still in the process of assessing damage to their crops. It is safe to say, however, that the storm has resulted in significant damage to the Florida Citrus industry. Before Hurricane Irma, we were expecting more than 75 million boxes worth of oranges on the trees this season. Due to the storm, we now have much less. In addition to fruit loss due to wind, some growers also are dealing with uprooted trees. Agricultural emergency declarations exist for types of natural disasters like this.”
Shannon Shepp – Florida Department of Citrus Executive Director
