Freeze may take heavy toll on Florida citrus

Did you know that Florida's citrus is a $9.3 billion industry? Or that the state produces three-quarters of th United States' orange crop and forty percent of the worlds orange juice supply? That is one of the few facts that help tell the story about the florida freeze. What's going on is that Florida is getting some unusual weather. Fridged temperatures threatened Florida citrus crops, most of the southeast plunged into the teens Monday morning. In Tallahasse it was only sixteen degrees, and south of Orlando in places it was less than thirty degrees. Miami barely got into the forty's, when usually this time of year they're in the high seventy's. Finally the National Wather Service issued a hard freeze. This was bad news fo citrus trees, becaue they rarely survive when temperatures remain in the mid twenties or elow for longer tan four hours, said Kristen Gunter, a spokeswoman for the association of companies that pick and process the oranges. This link is a short video clip that talks to a few farmers about how they are working with the weather and what it's doing to their crops. Some are watering so they crops freeze and will re-bloom. While others are taking their crops out and selling them at markets. http://http://cnn.com/video/?/video/us/2010/01/10/petramala.fl.straberry.farm.baynews9

I can't believe that the temperatures are that low in Florida that's crazy. When I think of Florida I think of warm, beaches, and fun. So reading about Florida in this condition was weird. after watching the linked video though I think that it's good that the farmers are staying positive. It's good that there trying to save their crops and sell them.