Big Bend drought impacts local farmers and nurseries

Intensifying drought conditions across Florida’s Big Bend are creating challenges for local farmers and nurseries. A lack of rain is creating challenges across Tallahassee for local nurseries and farmers. At Esposito’s Garden Center, delays in plant availability are making it difficult to keep shelves stocked.

“So a lot of the things that’s been going on with the drought that we’ve been going through, we’ve been having a hard time finding plants that are ready for dispensing. Unfortunately, whenever plants go through a drought, their roots get affected. They dry out,” Amanda McCarthy, Esposito Garden Center Vetting Associate, said.

As growers struggle with dry conditions without consistent water, plants cannot grow at the same rate, slowing down everything from garden vegetables to fruit trees.

This impact hits farmers directly, reducing how much they are able to harvest and sell. When farmers produce less, the effects quickly spread across the community.