ORLANDO, Fla. – While the coronavirus pandemic has impacted the health of thousands of Floridians, it has also left many financially crippled, especially the Sunshine State’s farmers.
Florida leads the U.S. in harvesting tomatoes, green beans, cabbage and peppers this time of year. With much of the state shut down to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the restaurants and other foodservice businesses that Florida’s food growers rely on to stay afloat aren’t open for business, or simply aren’t seeing enough of a demand right now to come close to meeting the supply of perishable products agricultural producers have to offer. [RELATED: Coronavirus claims an unexpected victim: Florida vegetables] The loss has created a domino effect through the