Tree Farmer shares how he is dealing with Hurricane Ian's devastation
Fish Branch Tree Farm owner John Conroy explains how he is reacting to the aftermath of Hurricane Ian as a business owner and a Floridian
Officials in Florida are assessing the damage caused by Hurricane Ian as it tore through the state starting Wednesday afternoon. Many business owners are also assessing the economic toll the storm has taken on small businesses in the area.
Fish Branch Tree Farm owner John Conroy shared the impact Hurricane Ian had on his southwest Florida business on "America Reports" Thursday.
"I wouldn't be surprised if the direct and collateral damage in all probability could reach or exceed $2 million," Conroy said.
Conroy's business sells a variety of trees, many of which were blown near horizontal or ripped from the ground by Ian's wind gusts, some reaching 155 mph.
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"We're a well-established business and have a good deal of our inventory that remained intact. But that's primarily the palm trees," Conroy told hosts John Roberts and Gillian Turner.
"The Woodies, which would include oaks and magnolias and Japanese privets, hollies of various varieties, those were all hit very, very hard."
Conroy's business estimates a huge supply shortage as a result of the storm which only compounds other economic strains.
A downed tree covers the road after being toppled by the winds and rain from Hurricane Ian on September 28, 2022 in Sarasota, Florida. Ian is hitting the area as a Category 4 hurricane. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
"We suffer from chronic labor shortages and even if we did have an adequate staff, ordinarily the amount of work that has to be done is so tremendous that we would have a lot of difficulty getting all of that material righter to go," Conroy said.
The aftermath of the storm has also raised questions about insurance as businesses and residents try to rebuild.
"We are not insured. We are self-insured. Over the years, the cost of crop insurance was prohibitive for many years, and so it became a calculated risk," Conroy said..
"So it's all on us. It's a function of the rugged individualism that is a tree farm."
Conroy acknowledged the difficulty in planning for storms of this magnitude and praised Governor Ron DeSantis and emergency officials for their handling of the situation.
Despite the damages, Conroy remained optimistic about his company and the state of Florida rebuilding.
"Given the limitations of the science, it's sometimes a bit speculative, but the warnings certainly started taking place and plenty of time for us to make all of the preparations which we could," he said.
"There are just limitations to the amount that you can do to protect a perishable inventory."
As Floridians wake up to face the destruction of Hurricane Ian, owners and residents look to restore their cities.
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"There is no crying in tree farming," Conroy stressed.