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Canker threat another blow to industry
Hurricane Wilma may have spread the disease farther than first thought. Thousands of acres are threatened.
Associated Press
Published December 17, 2005
VERO BEACH - Hurricane Wilma may have spread citrus canker to 170,000 acres of trees, which would be another blow to the state's agriculture industry, state officials said.
The commercial groves might have to be destroyed, according to a preliminary study presented this week to the U.S. Department of Agriculture by state and citrus industry leaders.
Most of the trees that would need to be removed are south and east of Lake Okeechobee.
"I was stunned," said Craig Meyer, deputy agriculture commissioner.
If the findings are correct, the number of acres that must be bulldozed would be raised to about 265,000. The state has about 750,000 commercial acres of citrus. The assumptions are based on the premise that the only way to get rid of the disease is to cut and burn infected trees and those nearby.
Dan Richey, Vero Beach grower and co-chairman of the federal-state citrus canker task force, said he was not surprised by the preliminary report.
"It didn't take a real genius to figure out we were in probably in trouble, Richey said.
Citrus growers will meet next week to discuss strategies.
[Last modified December 17, 2005, 01:00:13]
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