|
|
Many areas of Miami-Dade County, Fla. – especially the Homestead, Fla. Area – and some areas of Broward County were significantly damaged as Hurricane Katrina blew through the area as it made landfall near the Broward/Dade County line last week and unexpectedly turned south. Nurseries are under water, shade houses are down and power is off, according to a news release by the Florida Nursery, Growers & Landscape Association (FNGLA). FNGLA is calling on association members throughout the state, particularly in Broward, Palm Beach, Treasure Coast, Royal Palm, Manasota, Tampa Bay, Pinellas, Lake Region, Action and Highlands Heartland Chapters to quickly provide assistance for nurseries in need.
Requested nursery materials include:
- Painter Type V ladders Ladders – 8- and 10-foot heights
- Ratchets (come alongs) to tighten wires
- Wire cutters
- Generators
- Shade Cloth
- Poly
- Bottled water
- Coolers and ice
FNGLA member Florikan has generously worked to fill three 45-foot trucks with supplies set to go to the devastated area on Saturday. The association encourages green industry companies to extend help as well, where they are able. FNGLA members can contact their chapter’s emergency contact or may call Florikan directly at 800/322-8666 to coordinate pickups or consolidate pickups with neighboring members. Out-of-state companies should contact FNGLA before sending relief supplies to find out what type of supplies are needed most and where to send them.
FNGLA has been in constant communication with the state capital, Tallahassee, especially Commissioner of Agriculture Charles Bronson. FNGLA is working to ensure government offices in Tallahassee and Washington, D.C., are fully apprised of the extent of damage to the nursery industry.
FNGLA reported Monday at the nursery industry in South Florida has incurred significant crop loss in addition to structural damage as a result of Hurricane Katrina. Initial estimates peg crop loss and damage to field and container nurseries as approximately $370 million, representing the unfortunate lion’s share of the total agricultural damage in Miami-Dade County.
With $9.9 billion in industry sales, Florida is the second largest nursery crop production state in the nationa. Miami-Dade is the largest nursery and foliage crop-producing county in Florida. An overwhelming 65 percent of the entire nation’s indoor foliage houseplants are produced in Florida.