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California Farmers Suffer Losses from Fires

There's a long list of Southern California crops and commodities potentially affected by wildfires and windstorms. KPBS Reporter Ed Joyce has more.

There's a long list of Southern California crops and commodities potentially affected by wildfires and windstorms. KPBS Reporter Ed Joyce has more.

Many farmers, ranchers, nursery owners and their employees are still evacuated. It will take several days before they can check the damage to crops. In San Diego County losses have already been reported to avocado groves.

A California Avocado Commission spokesman says fierce winds blew fruit from trees in San Diego, Orange, Riverside and Ventura counties. Some estimates say at least one-third of the state's overall avocado crop will be lost.

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Some winegrape vineyards were also damaged - the state farm bureau federation says one Ramona-area winery was destroyed.

The county also leads the state in production of nursery crops. Many plant nurseries were in the path of the wildfires. Egg ranches and other types of farms were also damaged.

Cattle ranchers haven't been able to see how their animals fared during the wildfires. They know pasture land has been burned, but are waiting to check their land and herds. One San Diego cattle rancher says the fire burned what forage remained on his land. Ed Joyce, KPBS News.

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