Bloom Was 3 Weeks Early, Then Freeze Wiped Out Most GA Blueberries, SC Peaches - $1 Billion Loss

[hatrack]

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Last week's deep freeze in the Southeast appears to have nearly wiped out Georgia's blueberries and South Carolina's peaches.

The South Carolina Department of Agriculture said 85 percent of the state's peaches were damaged by two days of temperatures dipping into the 20s Wednesday and Thursday. South Carolina is the second biggest producer of peaches in the U.S.

Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black says up to 80 percent of the blueberry crop in the southern part of the state was destroyed.

EDIT

While mid-March freezes aren't unusual in much of the Southeast, many crops were blooming up to three weeks early because of the unusually mild winter.

EDIT/END

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/4b994210cec34a028fe3bb746437fd59/deep-south-freeze-means-fewer-blueberries-and-peaches

[n2doc]

1. Rats n/t

[tazkcmo]

2. And now begins the rush

for Federal relief. Socialism when it benefits them is o.k. Socialist healthcare? No way!

[NickB79]

3. You mean climate change might hurt US food production?

Quick, someone tell the GOP!