We take oranges, grapefruit, lemons and limes for granted. They’ve been around our entire lives. They’re always there when we want ’em. But did you have any idea that in just a few years they may all be gone?
There’s a lethal disease called citrus greening decimating Florida citrus. It started in China, then spread to Brazil before finding its way to Florida. In the 20 years since it arrived, Florida has lost half its citrus land — some 500,000 acres of groves. We look at what happened, why it happened and the frantic chase to find a cure. But it’s not all bad news. Farmers are nothing if not ingenious. And adaptable. Some have found better ways to protect their fruit. Others have expanded into producing other commodities — like blueberries and peaches — as well for leverage.
We’ll also take a side trip to Port Everglades, FL to try to do a little detective work as to how the bug that brought greening to America arrived — and to show the pivotal role our ports play in keeping us all fed.
