Dealing with disaster – Late freeze cripples nursery industry
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?It?s the worst I?ve seen in the 37 years I?ve been in business,? said local nurseryman Jim Rubley in an interview with the Standard at his operation in Irving College. ?Nobody has any idea yet how much damage it?s done.?
Rubley says some of his stock, the hardier varieties, will survive, but others have been killed outright. Walking through a long row of weeping mulberries destroyed by the freeze the veteran grower began shaking his head.
?I can give you a headline for this one ? ?They?re all dead.??
The situation has left the local nursery industry wondering what kind of assistance will be available in light of the potentially devastating loss in revenue. Though some growers have crop insurance, many do not. And many of those with insurance are finding out they don?t have the coverage they thought they had.
Two heavily attended meetings were held last week at the Nursery Research Station where nurserymen gathered to discuss their problems and concerns with representatives of one of the larger crop insurance carriers, Risk Management Agency of the USDA.
RMA administers the policies which are written through various commercial insurers. In addition to USDA risk management specialist Paul Walden, representatives from the offices of U.S. Rep. Lincoln Davis and U.S. Sens. Bob Corker and Lamar Alexander were on hand to hear concerns.
And there is indeed reason for concern. According to Tennessee Nursery and Landscape Association president Steve Bennett, the industry accounts for $3.9 billion in revenue and 51,000 jobs statewide.
Beecher W. Frasier III, Lincoln Davis? chief of staff, says the congressman and his colleagues are well aware of the economic impact this disaster will have on the local and state economy, and plans are in the works to help with recovery.
?When you have an industry that brings in $3.9 billion to the state each year, it?s extremely important,? Frasier said. ?It?s the lifeline for a lot of families and a lot of businesses that have been here for many years. It?s just critical that we do it, and we try to do whatever it takes to get it done.?
Frasier says this type of disaster tends to bring attention to issues and problems that may not otherwise be obvious.
?Unfortunately, until something catastrophic takes place many folks, and not that it?s their fault, are really not aware of what their insurance plan covers,? Frasier said. ?I think it?s the responsibility, not only for the insurance companies, but for those with the USDA and others to make sure the growers know what they?re purchasing and what is covered under those policies.?
And for those without insurance, Frasier says there is still some help available through the government.
?There are some options,? Frasier said. ?Gov. Bredesen has done a wonderful job across the state, but has also asked for a declaration of disaster from President Bush and the Secretary of Agriculture at the federal level. Should that come down, and obviously you have to meet certain criteria through Farmers Service Agency to apply for low-interest loans, then there are going to be some other avenues.?
Frasier said it will probably take from 30 to 60 days to find out if the disaster declaration will be forthcoming, but any affected growers should feel free to contact the offices of Davis, Corker or Alexander with their concerns.
?We?re going to try our best to help them through this situation,? Frasier said. ?It?s not going to be easy, and I think everyone would agree with that, but we?re going to do everything we can.?
And the damage is indeed widespread. Mark Halcomb, UT nursery specialist, says the late freeze has resulted in the heaviest damage he has witnessed in his 20 years of working in the area.
?It?s the most widespread, most severe disaster I?ve ever seen here,? Halcomb said, ?because every grower is affected.?
According to Halcomb there are 259 certified nurseries in Warren County, and others knowledgeable about the local industry speculate there might be as many as 50 non-certified operations.
But though the experts are reluctant to estimate the potential loss from the damage in the Nursery Capital, they all agree it will be considerable.
Other nurserymen aren?t so reluctant to speculate, and their predictions aren?t good.
?I may be off here,? said Russell Milstead, a third-generation nurseryman in the Irving College community, ?but I?d say you?re probably looking at around $100 million. Maybe more. Maybe a lot more.?
Milstead says it?s the potential loss of sales revenue that really hurts, and even though his is a relatively small operation, his own losses could amount to around $500,000.
?That?s a hard blow to take for smaller operations,? he said. ?I feel sorry for all the people just starting out, buying equipment, setting out plants. This is really going to hurt them. Some may not be able to survive it.?