Deep Freeze Threatens Southern Crops

Sub-freezing temperatures across the South may spell disaster for farmers at the height of the winter harvest.

The same cold snap that sprinkled North Carolina with snow and brought tornado-strength winds and frigid air to Georgia has sent Florida into a big chill - threatening the state's usually abundant citrus crops, reports CBS News correspondent Kelly Cobiella.

"It can be incredibly devastating. If it's below 28 degrees for four to six hours, you can do damage to citrus, which is one of the heartier crops we have," Terry McElroy, a Florida Agriculture Department spokesman, told CBS News.

Most of the country's winter fruits and vegetables come from Florida fields and a deep freeze can be costly. Across the state, workers rushed to get truck loads of produce out of the fields and on to market ahead of the cold.

"Right now, the valencias are coming in, the honeybells are finishing up. And it … would be devastating to the industry," grower Bob Roth told CBS Radio News.

Fortunately, temperatures in citrus country were not expected to stay low long enough to do significant damage to that crop, reports Cobiella. And there's even better news for growers - the weather's expected to warm up Thursday.