Plants are blooming early across the country as a result of this winter’s ongoing record warmth, which many connect to climate change. And some fear that an impending freeze could destroy countless fruit flowers and wreak havoc on the industry.
It certainly seems like America’s farmers can’t get a break. Over the last few years they endured a record-breaking drought in the largest agricultural region, California’s central valley. Now, California is wet (though still in drought), but another potential threat looms after the recent warm spell across the Midwest and East Coast.
To summarize: Since fruit trees flowered early, even a quick freeze later this season could be devastating, Bloomberg’s Brian K. Sullivan, Megan Durisin and Jeff Wilson reported last week.
“Fruit growers are afraid the crops are developing too early and will get hit with a freeze,” Mark Longstroth, extension fruit educator at Michigan State University in Paw Paw, told Bloomberg. “Everyone would be happy if we had some cooler temperatures to slow down development.”
Read more at Triple Pundit
Photo credit: David Luther Thomas via Wikimedia Commons
