Many of state’s crops hit with heavy losses from freeze

Mon, 04/09/2007 - 2:26pm
By: Cal Beverly

Preliminary reports from around the state show most of the apple, peach, and blueberry crops were damaged in the below freezing temperatures that covered most of the state this past weekend, says Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tommy Irvin.

“The apple and peach crops in North Georgia are wiped out,” says Irvin. “And middle to south Georgia may have 50 percent or less of the peach crop left.”

North and southeast Georgia appear to have suffered more than the southwest, says Irvin.

“County agents in the blueberry area are saying that much of the current crop is damaged, some with an 80 to 90 percent loss,” Irvin says.

Pecan trees in southeast Georgia that looked to be setting up for a good crop were damaged by the freeze and frost, but growers won’t know to what extent until later.

Fruit and vegetable growers using frost protection will have to wait until the sun comes out to find out if they were able to save any of their crops.

“Very little corn and tobacco were in the ground, but most of those that were up suffered heavy damage from the cold,” Irvin says. “What we’re hearing is that what was green is black.”

Irvin says that it will be a couple of days before the extent of the damage to the state’s crops will start coming in.

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nuk's picture
Submitted by nuk on Mon, 04/09/2007 - 6:08pm.

I noticed parts of the northeastern US got hit with about 16 inches of global warming last week.

Seriously, I do believe that "man's activities" can certainly CONTRIBUTE to something like "global warming," but it is way too simplistic and politically-motivated now to matter-of-factly claim that "global warming" is not only all upon us, but that man is the total cause.

Oh yeah, China is going all-out building coal-based power right now and is not subject to the laughable Kyoto Protocol that the global warming crowd thinks is a "good thing" the US should agree to. India? Yep, the same.Maybe the alarmists need to be pounding those country's citizens with their spiel. Oh wait, they don't care!

NUK


bad_ptc's picture
Submitted by bad_ptc on Mon, 04/09/2007 - 6:29pm.

Letter to the Editor in this months issue of Discover Magazine.

"Earth’s ocean area is about 140 million square miles. To raise the sea level approximately one foot requires about 26,000 cubic miles of ice melt from above sea level."

Albert Foster Dearborn, Michigan


AF A-10's picture
Submitted by AF A-10 on Mon, 04/09/2007 - 6:07pm.

You can't look at a global issue through a soda straw. You need to come down south with me and you'll see some of the most wicked sun burn on Earth. Oh, and check global average temperatures by year. Makes for a more accurate picture.

cheers,

Kevin "Hack" King


Enigma's picture
Submitted by Enigma on Mon, 04/09/2007 - 8:00pm.

Hack – with a Major in Physics and a Minor in Meteorology - we could argue forever and I will come down where I have for the last 15 years - I believe that we are in a cyclical warming trend brother and it's not due to America's Carbon Emissions.

Besides, who’s to say what the ‘optimum’ planet temperature is for earth? Just some food for thought.

Regardless, here's one you can relate to as a world traveler - China and Indonesia aren't playing the global warming game - they don’t even buy 'carbon credits' but I bet china will sell you some. Smiling

Sorry you missed Easter. I always hated being in a country that doesn't observe Christmas during Christmas time. I guess Easter is about the same. Thank God for the USO, bowling alleys and 3.2 beer Eye-wink


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