|
A Taking of Trees (Citrus Canker Story)
(Note by ZH: This is an example of the effect of the State of Florida’s citrus canker eradication program on one person. The following story was written by the son-in-law of a man who was 92 years old at the time his trees were “taken.” He had lived in Broward County for ninety years, worked hard, raised a family, and was able to buy land and prosper by his own industry and prudent way of life. In his later years he enjoyed doing things for others, and one of them was taken away from him by the state.)
May 18, 2004
Over the years, we gave Grampa fruit trees for his birthday and any other occasion when we couldn't think of any other suitable gift, or in addition to another gift. After about fifteen years we had established quite a citrus grove on his three acres of extra property, eighteen trees in all. By then his trees were well established and full of fruit almost every year. He had almost all the varieties of citrus you could name. Grampa enjoyed cutting and squeezing the fruit and then giving it away. Gramma chased him out of her kitchen, so he was using the tailgate of his truck as a work station.
One year his family decided to build a small citrus/juicer stand for him. It was about five feet square, had electricity, a sink, running water, a roof and a place for him to sit comfortably while he worked.
He had a flourishing ‘business’ as he provided at least eight families with Valencia juice, cut-up Navel and Pineapple oranges, and three varieties of sectioned grapefruit.
His only reward for his labor was the thanks he received. Then along came CANKER. He was out of ‘business,’ and one of his greatest pleasures was gone in about twenty minutes, as a crew of men with chain saws and chippers wiped him out.
In all fairness, he did have three trees that were infected, but all had to go, as they were within range of being infected.
We were allowed to harvest all the green fruit before the trees were destroyed, and as the fruit ripened, he cut and juiced his last crop.
He was given a card worth $100.00 to spend at Wal-Mart for new non-citrus trees. “That was two years ago, and this year we harvested, as he is no longer able to do so, his first crop of apples and peaches, varieties developed by the University of Florida. But the juice stand is gone, along with the pleasant hours he spent in it. It all seems a bit unfair, and now we have to buy our citrus, all to protect a big industry which I think is doomed anyway. The state was not able to protect it from the fruit fly, the lethal yellow or black fly. They spent a lot of money, and we still have all three problems. The only answer they can come up with for canker is to do like they have done with the three programs that failed, and that is to remove the infected trees, replant with new ones and keep going. They don't allow you to replant for three years, so we gave up and went to something else. All too sad.
----- The following information is from the official website of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services: “Citrus canker is one of the most destructive bacterial diseases affecting citrus. It affects all kinds -- oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, lemons and limes. It causes the tree to decline in health and fruit production, until ultimately it will produce no fruit at all. There is no chemical compound that will destroy the bacteria. Both infected trees and those exposed to infection must be cut down and disposed of. It has been determined that trees within 1,900 feet of an infected tree must be destroyed. The eradication program, mandated by the state legislature, is crucial to the well-being of Florida’s $8.5 billion citrus industry from which all citizens benefit. It is also necessary in order to save backyard trees not yet affected by citrus canker. The total number of trees destroyed statewide so far by the eradication program is: residential -- 642,219, and commercial/grove -- 2,279,980, for a total of 2,922,199.” http://www.doacs.state.fl.us/pi/canker/faqs.htm (Another note by ZH: The following is from an article I remember reading in Florida Today recently. You might want to check it before publishing. Unfortunately, the suit comes too late to benefit my uncle, who will be 94 in December. His beloved wife died recently and I'm sure that having something like the citrus stand to pass the time would be of much comfort to him.) There is a suit in the courts at this time to require that those who have lost residential trees be reimbursed for their actual worth, rather than the usual $50 or $100. This may be so expensive to the state as to put a stop to the taking of residential trees.
Citrus Canker: Quarantine Maps
|