Hurricane Ian Update: Florida Growers Mostly Report Roof Damage, Flooding
October 2, 2022 
Photo credit: NOAA
Growers in the Southeast U.S., especially Florida, continue to assess the damage caused by the path of Hurricane Ian. Here’s what our team at Greenhouse Grower has heard so far; please let us know how you were affected by emailing [email protected], and take advice on preparation and maintenance from industry experts here.
Aris Horticulture, Inc.’s Fort Myers, FL, farms were impacted by Hurricane Ian. As of Friday, Sept. 30, Aris employees were reporting in, confirming their safety, and returning to work.
“Both the Alva and Live Oak farms have incurred some facility damage, primarily to the poly roof coverings for greenhouses and field saran,” says Wendy Hanzel, Corporate Marketing Manager. “There is no major structural damage. Coolers, buildings, and equipment received are operating via emergency power generators until Florida Power & Electric restores power.”
Hanzel says the container and liner crops are being attended to, with shipments resuming next week. Power and water are being targeted to critical areas.
“While it has been just a couple of days, maintenance and operations crews are working hard to restore operations and shipments. Aris Keepsake Plants will continue to accept orders,” Hanzel says.
A comprehensive assessment of the damage to the facilities and a long-term facility recovery plan are being developed.
“Plans will insure that, through a combination of repairs to existing facilities and some rebuilding, both farms will have ample appropriate production area for upcoming production needs and will continue to provide a reliable supply for our customers,” Hanzel says.
Other Updates From Top 100 Growers
- Roseville Farms: “We were pretty lucky as we only took a glancing blow, but we lost power for two days and our generators covered our critical areas. We lost around 40 of our poly roofs, which will be a job to replace, but otherwise it’s just clean-up of oak tree mess,” says David Raab.
- Knox Horticulture: “We were very fortunate, lots of rain, and standing water is everywhere. We had very minor issues but that is to be expected when you get lashed for almost 24 hours,” says Bruce Knox.
- Costa Farms: “We’re grateful our employees are safe and sound. Some had damage to their homes, but the most important thing is that they’re safe. Happily, most of our Florida farms—Miami, Apopka, Loxahatchee—had minimal impact. Unfortunately, two of our farms (Venus and Wauchula) were more directly affected,” says Justin Hancock, Senior Brand Marketing Manager at Costa Farms.
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