Flooding across New Jersey could hit hard one of the state's big cash crops: blueberries.
Rutgers Agriculture Experiment Station Atlantic County agent Gary Pavlis said the root systems start to die in bushes that are in standing water for 27 hours.
That's the case for some farms around Hammonton, which bills itself as the Blueberry Capital of the World.
As of 2007, New Jersey had more than 9,000 acres dedicated to cultivated blueberries, second only to Michigan.
On Tuesday agricultural officials also reported as much as 40 percent of the state’s late peach crop was also lost because of the storm. Experts say squash, pumpkins and other ground crops could also be affected.
According to Pavlis, New Jersey's small but growing wine industry could be in trouble because of the floods. All the rain could swell grapes and dilute the wine.
Pavlis said the industry hopes the state remains dry until most wine varietals are picked in November.
