South Florida Farmers Brace for Freezing Temperatures

Agricultural community prepares crops as cold weather threatens millions in produce

Feb. 1, 2026 at 10:31am

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Farmers and growers in South Florida are preparing their crops for potentially freezing temperatures that could cripple their products. Mick Gnagy, a local farmer, spent Saturday getting his irrigation systems running to water down his four-acre farm and protect millions of dollars worth of crops from the cold.

Why it matters

South Florida's agricultural industry is a major economic driver for the region, with farms and growers producing a variety of fruits, vegetables, and other crops. Freezing temperatures can devastate these crops, causing significant financial losses for farmers and disrupting the local food supply.

The details

Gnagy uses diesel-powered irrigation systems to water his crops, but the cold weather initially caused issues with the machinery. After tinkering for 10 minutes, he was able to get the system running and plans to keep the sprinklers on throughout the night to protect his crops. He says that if the temperatures drop into the 30s, his crops will freeze without the water, which would be a devastating blow to his business.

  • Farmers and growers spent Saturday preparing their products for the cold temperatures.
  • Gnagy plans to keep the sprinklers running until he goes to bed and will start them up again at 5:30 a.m.

The players

Mick Gnagy

A local farmer in South Florida who has a four-acre farm and is preparing his irrigation systems to protect millions of dollars worth of crops from the freezing temperatures.

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What they’re saying

“Usually, it takes about 10 to 15 seconds for this thing to crank up.”

— Mick Gnagy, Farmer (CBS News Miami)

“That would give me a reason to retire.”

— Mick Gnagy, Farmer (CBS News Miami)

“I'm gonna saturate it right now, then I'll get up at 5:30 in the morning and crank it back up again.”

— Mick Gnagy, Farmer (CBS News Miami)

What’s next

Farmers will continue monitoring the weather and their irrigation systems throughout the night to protect their crops from the freezing temperatures.

The takeaway

This cold snap highlights the vulnerability of South Florida's agricultural industry to extreme weather events, underscoring the importance of proactive measures and preparedness to safeguard the region's food supply and economic stability.