Trying Again After the Storm

摘要

By now, everyone is familiar with the havoc wrought by Hurricane Michael on the Georgia pecan industry back in October. Half the Georgia crop was lost along with over 740,000 trees, resulting in a loss equivalent to approximately 17 percent of Georgia's pecan acreage and an estimated total of $560 million in losses to the industry. There is no question that Georgia's industry will be forever changed. Some growers may not continue on, especially in the far southwestern corner of the state as they mayview the time required and cost of doing so insurmountable. However, most of Georgia's growers will continue growing pecans. Fate has a way of bringing about surprises, making good situations out of bad. That being said, I expect to see Georgia's growersrise up from this and, as strange as it may seem, use this storm as an opportunity to improve the state's pecan production.