Florida's farmers plot new course after Hurricane Michael's deadly tear
Source: The Guardian
Florida's farmers plot new course after Hurricane Michael's deadly tear
Storm’s assault through Panhandle has left growers moving away from traditional farming towards alternatives like hemp and hops
Richard Luscombe in Miami
Sun 17 Feb 2019 11.00 GMT
Hurricane Michael’s deadly tear through Florida’s Panhandle four months ago will help fuel a transformation of the state’s agricultural industry, experts are predicting, with significant numbers of growers moving away from traditional farming and towards a future of alternative crops such as hemp and hops.
One legacy of the 155mph storm was a $1.3bn blow to the Florida timber industry from almost 1.5m acres of lost or damaged trees, as well as the near total loss of the region’s cotton harvest and substantial impacts for cattle farmers and growers of peanuts, tomatoes and fruits including citrus and avocados.
While thousands of affected farmers in the Panhandle continue to count the cost of the hurricane and make plans for their futures, many are looking into the viability of a switch, according to Dr Glen Aiken, director of the University of Florida’s north Florida research and education centre.
“As they recover, as they replace equipment, as they put their fences back up, they’re thinking of ways to make improvements that will maybe reduce the risk they suffer from hurricanes. They are thinking about alternative crops,” he said.
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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/feb/17/hurricane-michael-florida-panhandle-agriculture-industry-transformation