South Florida Farmers Face Catastrophic Losses From Historic Freeze

Treasure Coast nurseries report over 50% crop destruction, call for government assistance

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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Farmers in South Florida's Treasure Coast region are grappling with significant crop losses due to a recent historic freeze, with one nursery owner reporting over 50% of his crops were destroyed across 29 acres. The freeze has caused millions in losses, leading to layoffs and an uncertain future for these agricultural businesses. Local and state officials have responded with emergency orders and promises of assistance, but farmers warn that aid must come quickly to prevent more farms from closing their doors.

Why it matters

The Treasure Coast region is a major agricultural hub in Florida, producing a variety of crops that are vital to the state's economy. The devastating freeze event highlights the vulnerability of these farms to extreme weather, which is expected to become more frequent and severe due to climate change. Providing timely financial assistance and recovery support to these farmers is crucial to sustaining the local agricultural industry.

The details

At East Coast Nursery in Indiantown, owner Matt Rutizer reported that over 50% of his crops were destroyed across 29 acres of land. The freeze has caused Rutizer's revenue to disappear, as many of his remaining plants are unsellable. Rutizer described the situation as a "catastrophic loss" and a "setback," noting that he has already had to conduct layoffs at his farm. To keep the business afloat, the nursery has started a GoFundMe campaign.

  • The historic freeze hit South Florida's Treasure Coast region last week.
  • Gov. Ron DeSantis recently signed an executive order to assist Florida's farmers in their recovery efforts.

The players

Matt Rutizer

The owner of East Coast Nursery in Indiantown, Florida, who reported over 50% of his crops were destroyed across 29 acres of land due to the historic freeze.

Gov. Ron DeSantis

The governor of Florida who signed an executive order to assist the state's farmers in their recovery efforts following the recent freeze.

Brian Mast

A U.S. Congressman who toured the affected nurseries and farms to observe the widespread devastation, and acknowledged the need for financial assistance for the farmers.

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What they’re saying

“It's a catastrophic loss. I don't have any sales because ... what it is if they didn't die, it looks like it's dead for the most part. It's unsellable.”

— Matt Rutizer, Owner, East Coast Nursery (wpbf.com)

“It's nice that they do it. I would hope that it's in a reasonable manner so many farms don't have to close their doors before that.”

— Matt Rutizer, Owner, East Coast Nursery (wpbf.com)

“It's a different kind of emergency for people out here. You're up in Virginia or Maryland or anywhere up along the east ... beyond that temperature is not a big thing but to the Florida economy and the things that grow here the companies that exist to produce things in this USDA climate zone, it is an emergency to them because you're not used to seeing sustained 25 degrees or even 25 degrees at all.”

— Brian Mast, U.S. Congressman (wpbf.com)

What’s next

The Department of Agriculture must declare an emergency for aid to be provided to the affected farmers, which has not happened yet.

The takeaway

The devastating freeze event in South Florida highlights the vulnerability of the region's agricultural industry to extreme weather, underscoring the need for timely financial assistance and recovery support to sustain these vital farming operations in the face of climate change impacts.