Posted on 01/17/2007 7:13:10 AM PST by kellynla
FRESNO, Calif. (AP) -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger asked the federal government Tuesday for disaster aid because of an ongoing cold snap that has destroyed nearly $1 billion worth of California citrus, and industry officials said shoppers will feel the sting through higher prices for oranges, lemons and other produce. Visiting a Fresno orange grove, Schwarzenegger said he was asking the U.S. government for disaster status, which would allow California to seek aid from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Small Business Administration to offset losses to growers and other businesses.
"This is not just about the crop this year. It could also have a devastating effect next year," Schwarzenegger said. "My administration will make sure that we do everything we can to help the farmers and workers get through this."
Nearly every winter crop is affected by the freeze, from avocados to strawberries to fresh-cut flowers, but it's the state's citrus crop that stands to take the biggest economic hit.
"We may adjust the prices as we discover the full extent of the damage next week, but for now, if you bought an orange at the supermarket for 50 cents, expect to pay a dollar to $1.49 for it," said Todd Steel, owner of Royal Vista Marketing, which sells California citrus to markets throughout the country.
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
When I lived in California, the growers would all use smudgepots to keep the orchards above freezing.
I suppose those have all been outlawed now because of pollution concerns.
Maybe if he took some of the state money he is pouring down the rat hole of social services for illegals and every other special interest group, he wouldn't need Federal funds.
Who cares? It's just another RINO blabbering his mouth. He turns out to be a girly governer.
Accurate measure...the weather guys can not even get it right for three days.
Nicely put. My favourite recent prediction was that the last hurricane season was to be even worse than Katrina. Funny, no one called them on that. Has anyone even bothered to note that the last time there was a crop reducing freeze in Cali was in 1998?
"We may adjust the prices as we discover the full extent of the damage next week, but for now, if you bought an orange at the supermarket for 50 cents, expect to pay a dollar to $1.49 for it," said Todd Steel, owner of Royal Vista Marketing, which sells California citrus to markets throughout the country.
Sounds like we will get screwed twice. The tax $ for the poor growers and again at the market. Forget fedral relief and let the market take care of it. I'm sure we can import more citris from central and south america.
isn't it funny that 1 Billion dollars in crop damages is an EMERGENCY, but 10 to 20 Billion dollars per year in spending on Illegal's isn't an emergency????
"The ability to hold two conflicting beliefs at once, and actually believe them to be true."
No. They hold two opposing beliefs and want you to believe they are both true. But to the pol they are just vehicles for obtaining votes, and thus power, and in so doing, allow them to masturbate their insatiable egos.
So climate change is a reality. But hasn't there always been climate change (Ice Age, etc.)?
It seems to be a stretch that mere mortals could do anything to seriously affect climate change.
"So climate change is a reality. But hasn't there always been climate change (Ice Age, etc.)?
It seems to be a stretch that mere mortals could do anything to seriously affect climate change."
Thank You!
And as long as the Lefties are flying around in their private jets; I can't take too seriously what they say about the "ozone" and "global warming!" LOL
Whatever did we do before Federal Aid and freebies? (I'm sure every penny will be tracked after the New Orlean's fiasco.)
Whenever I go out to CA, to visit my son and his family, I am always amazed at how much more they pay for OJ than we do here in MA.
Thanks to global warming, California is the hottest state in the Union.
Now what is this about freezing oranges?
Perhaps their forecasting sucks at times but they do know how to read a thermometer and log the data.
If it gets hotter, that's proof of "Global Warming." If it gets colder, that's proof of "Global Warming."
Got to applaud an eco-industry that has convinced so many that any outcome other than moderate conditions proves their argument and justifies their existence.
supply & demand...supply & demand
and like I've repeatedly said, OJ comes from FL not CA.
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