January's freeze has already cost Florida strawberry growers at least $15 million. The state growers association says the indirect impact, including pickers' revenue and packing supplies, could total another 15 million. But experts say it's too soon to tell what the overall cost will be.

In the weeks following the freeze, many growers said damage seemed minimal. But as more berries bloom, problems are starting to pop up. Many berries are deformed, which means growers can sell them only at lower prices, if at all.

Experts say strawberry production is down more than 30% from last year's level at this time. And it might not bounce back until late February. About 90% of Florida's strawberry industry is in Hillsborough County, east of Tampa.