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SWFL Agriculture Expert Estimates At Least $2 Billion In Damages

WGCU | By Jessica Meszaros

Published September 12, 2017 at 7:19 PM EDT

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A grapefurit grove where 90 percent of fruit is seen floating in floodwaters. The flooding will affect the long-term health of the tree.

Gene McAvoy

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A lonely cow in the middle of a flooded Hendry County pasture.

Gene McAvoy

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Part of a 525-acre vegetable field in Hendry County flooded Tuesday and the irrigation system was totally destroyed.

Gene McAvoy

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Another vegetable field in Hendry where the water is begining to recede. Irrigation tubing is seen scattered across the field and plastic recently laid down has been washed away.

Gene McAvoy

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A vegetable seed facility in Immokalee, where fields are completely flooded. The brand new greenhouse in the background is destroyed.

Gene McAvoy

Hendry County farmers and ranchers sustained significant damage to their crops and lands, after Hurricane Irma touched down on Southwest Florida on Sunday afternoon and then ravaged it's way up the coast. WGCU's Jessica Meszaros spoke with University of Florida's regional vegetable extension agent in Hendry County Gene McAvoy, who was assessing the damage Tuesday.

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Jessica Meszaros

Jessica Meszaros is a reporter and host of Morning Edition at WUSF Public Media, and former reporter and host of All Things Considered for WGCU News.

See stories by Jessica Meszaros

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