Freeze Alert

I'm sure as a grower you are mindful of the freezes that are expected. I just wanted to remind of the link to FAWN Florida Automated Weather Network.

http://fawn.ifas.ufl.edu/ There are tools that can help you decide when to start the pumps running if you are freeze protecting and how low temperatures are expected to go.



Also here is a letter to growers from Hugh Gramling at TBWG.

We are expecting some of the coldest temperatures in the next few days we have seen in years. I know you already have made you plans on how to deal with the freeze.

Please make an accurate record of any watering you do for these next few days. Mark down the start times, start meter reading (if you have one), finish time, finish meter reading, volume, and any other pertinent information. This may make a big financial difference to you in the future. The aquifer in the central part of the county is being stressed by all the agricultural pumpage. While it will bounce back when everyone stops pumping, damage still may occur to shallow wells before that time.

If you have a water use permit, a condition is you must repair or replace any neighbor’s pump or well it is presumed you damaged as a result of the pumping. Adequate records may help you mitigate the cost associated with that. If you don’t have a permit, it still is good information to keep and may help you in some other way. Already one grower has been called by a neighbor wanting help with a well. Since the grower did not pump he acted like a good neighbor but had no financial obligation.

Also remember to report your frost/freeze quantities separately when you send in your monthly report. They do not count against your permitted water allocation.

Governor Charlie Crist has issued an executive order lifting weight restriction on the movement of agricultural products on FL roads for the next 14 days. This is to allow all ag producers a chance to move products quickly as a result of the freeze.

If you have any questions, please give me a call.

Hugh M. Gramling
Executive Director
Tampa Bay Wholesale Growers, laa
(813) 655-1914
www.tbwg.org