If anything characterizes conditions during early production for Florida's southern growers of fresh fruits and vegetables it’s rain — and plenty of it.

“Simply put, it was a pretty miserable winter for south Florida producers,” said Lisa Lochridge, director of public affairs for the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association. “After an unseasonably warm fall, the region was hit by severe storms and record-breaking rains. Rainfall was 139 percent above average in November, 199 percent above average in December, and nearly 350 percent above average for the month of January. You can’t endure that kind of weather and not be hurt by it. It delayed planting, spraying and harvesting schedules for many of the area’s signature crops, including sugar cane, sweet corn, green beans, lettuce and leafy greens, parsley and radishes.”

As the transition was made from 2015 to 2016, conditions began to change, and growers began playing catch-up with their crops. “We’re now in our traditionally dry season, so the gaps created by the bad winter weather are smoothing out,” Lochridge told The Produce News. “While some crops may be a bit behind because of some delays in planting, volumes should become more typical on into spring.”

Over the next months, Lochridge said consumers can look forward to purchasing a variety of nutritious produce from the Sunshine State. “The list is long -- tomatoes, green beans, blueberries, cabbage, celery, sweet corn, melons, lettuce, cucumbers, eggplant, peppers, potatoes, radishes and squash. The strawberry season is drawing to a close,” she said.

Florida continues to enjoy a solid reputation for the production of some of the finest produce grown in the nation. “Florida is a produce powerhouse,” Lochridge went on to say. “We hold the top spot in the nation in growing many of the fresh fruits and vegetables that consumers crave. The Sunshine State ranks number one in the U.S. for producing grapefruit, snap beans, squash, sugar cane, cucumbers, oranges, tomatoes and watermelons.”

And, as consumers gravitate toward inclusion of increasing amounts of healthy fresh produce, Lochridge said Florida is there to answer the call. “Consumers are showing a greater interest in eating healthy fresh foods, which presents strong marketing opportunities for virtually all of Florida’s produce. For example, salad consumption is on the rise, with consumers looking for more color, crunch and clean ingredients,” Lochridge commented.

The Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association is an advocacy organization, working on behalf of its members on a variety of topics. “A number of issues that affect Florida producers are key priorities for us,” she explained. “The uncertainty of the workforce is still a top concern. It’s a very real and serious threat to labor-intensive agriculture in this country -- not just in Florida. Congress needs to pass legislation that ensures growers have access to a legal, stable workforce. Additionally, in Florida we continue to battle citrus greening and other pests and diseases that threaten various crops. The good news is that we have the undivided attention of government agencies and the research community in looking for solutions.”