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Abstract
The final two decades of the 20th Century are widely regarded as being turbulent, difficult
times for Florida's producers of fresh fruits and vegetables. Particularly in southern Florida,
urban growth continued to take agricultural land. Environmental regulations constrained farmer
activities. Weather, always a variable, brought several severe freezes in the 1980s which
destroyed crops and sharply curtailed citrus production north of Orlando. In 1992, Hurricane
Andrew wreaked destruction on South Florida crops, destroyed many Lemon trees and nearly
wiped out Florida's Lime industry. Perhaps most troubling, at least most newsworthy, it was a
time of increasing penetration of U.S. markets by imports. To gain some insights into how
Florida producers have fared in the face of these challenges, trends in Florida produce shipments
will be examined from 1985 through 1998. In addition to the overall volume of shipments,
seasonal patterns will be addressed and information presented on Florida's market share for the
nation as a whole as well as sub-regions.