Wildfire update from the California Farm Bureau Federation

» Posted 3 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2007 «

First, preliminary estimates of agricultural losses from last week's windstorms have begun to appear.

The Ventura County agricultural commissioner told us Wednesday that as much as 40 percent of the avocados grown there may have been lost in the violent winds. He offered a preliminary loss estimate of $10 million to $15 million, but says arriving at a figure will be difficult because much of the ruined fruit had not reached saleable size.

Earlier, the California Avocado Commission estimated that 10 percent of the overall statewide crop was lost to the combination of strong winds and firestorms that hit Southern California.

Lemons also suffered during the windstorms. Assessing damage may take a couple of months, as farmers learn what proportion of their crops will be downgraded because of scarring from the winds.

In Riverside County, the agricultural commissioner's office reports more than $11 million in wind-related losses, chiefly to avocados and nursery crops. Winds reached 90 miles an hour in some areas of Riverside County last week, and local officials say they will likely update their loss figure as they receive additional reports.

The early reports of wind damage, combined with an estimate of $30 million in losses from the Rice Canyon fire in San Diego County, puts reported agricultural damage so far in the range of $50 million. That number will rise, as San Diego County assesses losses from other wildfires there and as farmers in other areas report damage to their county agricultural commissioners.

We are learning more about losses suffered by flower growers and plant nurseries in the fire zones and expect to report on that in tomorrow's update.

The California Farm Bureau Federation, the state's largest farm organization, works to protect family farms and ranches on behalf of nearly 92,000 members.

Contact: Dave Kranz
Phone: 916/561-5550
news@cfbf.com

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