Agriculture Leaders To Tour Florida, Survey Storm Damage
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ORLANDO (CBSMiami/AP) — Powerful Hurricane Irma impacted almost the entire state of Florida last week and many residents are still cleaning up and without power.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue is scheduled to survey agricultural damage in Florida from the storm.
Perdue will visit the state Monday, starting in Clewiston.
According to a news release, he will fly with Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam to view the storm's impact on crops.
Irma dealt Florida's iconic orange crop a devastating blow, destroying nearly all the fruit in some Southwest Florida groves and seriously damaging groves in Central Florida.
Other crops were also destroyed. Lisa Lochridge, a spokeswoman for the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association, said last week that reports indicate a 50 percent to 70 percent crop loss in South Florida.
Florida is a key source of fresh fruits and vegetables for the nation in the winter.
(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)