Freezes in the 1980s

By analyzing the citrus freezes from the 80s is begins to become evident that freezes are one of the most unpredictable and deadliest things to the Florida Citrus Industry. Citrus growers in the 1980s experienced freezes in 1981, 1982, 1983, 1985, and 1989. The major freezes of the 1980s were in 1983, 1985, and climaxing with the 1989 Freezes. The 1983 freeze was a billion dollar blow to the industry.  According to the New York Times, The 1983 freeze caused damage to the 11 northern counties on the citrus belt. This influence citrus grower to try and more south. According to the January 23, 1985, New York Times paper, just 13 months after the 1983-84 freeze a two-day freezes caused damage to “nine-tenths of Florida’s orange and grapefruit crop” in 1985. The 1985 Freeze was more sever in that is caused damage to even the countries on the southern edge of the citrus belt. The Vice president of the citrus growers organization the Florida Citrus Mutual, Bobby McKnown, reported to the New York Times that 89% of all citrus crops throughout the state were damaged. The 1980s began to seem like a never-ending freeze. Many citrus growers went out of business in the northern counties as well in central Florida.