The results show that removal of methyl bromide will have a devastating effect on the

 Florida vegetable and fruit industry. Acres devoted to the production of the seven major

 vegetables and fruit using methyl bromide are expected to decline by 43 percent from 126,356

 acres to 71,522 acres (Table 5.1). Within individual production areas, Palm Beach County will

 lose the most as all vegetable production that currently benefits from the use of methyl bromide

 will no longer be produced, a total loss of 25,637 acres. All other areas will lose approximately

 30 percent of their acres in production.

 Planted acres and production of tomatoes in Florida will decline by approximately 50 and

 61 percent, respectively (Tables 5.2 and 5.3). All production areas currently produce tomatoes,

 but a ban on methyl bromide use will cease production of tomatoes in Dade County and Palm

 Beach County. The number of acres planted to tomatoes in West Central Florida will remain

 about the same and acreage in southwest Florida will decline by about 50 percent. Production

 will decrease in both areas as yields decrease by 20 percent, resulting in a decrease in production

 of 20 percent in west central Florida and 60 percent in southwest Florida. Most of the reduction

 in production in southwest Florida will be in the spring production of tomatoes, losing about

 15,800 acres.

 Production of bell peppers will decline by 63 percent (Table 5.3). Those losses can be

attributed to losing all production in Palm Beach County and all double crop production in west

central Florida. Cucumber production will decline by 46 percent (Table 5.3) as all production

in Palm Beach County ceases (8,029 acres), while southwest Florida increases production of

cucumbers grown in a double cropping system with tomatoes (4,817 acres).