News

Actions

Rain causes farming disaster in the Glades

Posted at 4:03 PM, Feb 10, 2016
and last updated 2016-02-11 06:39:24-05

Some farmers in the Glades say they've lost 50 percent of their crops because of large amounts of rainfall over the last month.

"In my thirty years farming, January was the worst I've ever seen," farmer Paul Allen with Hatton Farms said.

Hatton says 50 percent of his crop was destroyed by the rains.

Sweet corn fields that would normally be green and growing are instead puddles of mud.

"You can't control Mother Nature. It is very trying physically and emotionally. It is a very tough business to be in this time of year. We take feeding our country very seriously. And when we can't do that, it is a bother," Allen said.

Radishes, lettuce and other vegetables have also been adversely affected by the weather.

Allen says it will impact prices in the grocery store. But even worse, he says, is they won't be able to hire as many farm workers.

"There won't be work. There will be less than fifty percent of the work in April from our January plantings," Allen said.

The cold temperatures are also not helping the situation.

"What we need is warm, sunny weather. The crops that are injured are not responding like they would if it was warm, sunnier weather. It is really not a good thing to have colder weather," Allen said.

Gov. Rick Scott declared a state of emergency for the farming communities.

Palm Beach County Commissioner Melissa McKinlay says she is extremely concerned and is helping to push through a disaster declaration to help the farmers in the Glades.