TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — “We are an industry in need of your help…”
That was the urgent plea from Florida’s citrus growers this week, as they urged state lawmakers to take action and restore what was once the "Orange Juice Capital of the World" — or risk losing the remnants of it.
The legislature is in the middle of its interim committee meetings ahead of the March session and hearing from stakeholders across the state, including Florida’s orange growers, who are hoping for more green and less greening.
At its peak in 1998, Florida’s citrus industry covered 860,000 acres, producing 244 million boxes of oranges and 50 million boxes of grapefruit. Today, around 275,000 acres remain and the USDA has a growing season forecast reaching only 12 million boxes of oranges, 1.2 million boxes of grapefruit.
“We’ve dropped nearly 90% in production of oranges and all citrus,” said Matt Joyner, CEO of Florida Citrus Mutual.
The sharp decline has growers sounding the alarm about the ongoing impacts of more than two decades of citrus greening and severe storms. They’re pushing lawmakers to allocate more funding for research initiatives aimed at boosting yields.
“We know that research is going to be critical,” said Joyner. “We’ve got to continue research.”
In addition to funding research, citrus officials told the FL Senate Agriculture Committee this week that more advertising dollars were crucial to promote Florida citrus products — or the once-dominant industry wouldn’t last.
“We are admittedly an industry in need of your help,” said Shannon Shepp, executive director of the Florida Department of Citrus. “On many levels, I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn’t echo the words of Henry Ford: ‘Stopping advertising to save money is like stopping your watch to save time.’”
The good news for growers is that lawmakers seem to be listening. In both the state Senate and the House, discussions are underway.
“We’ve asked all members to engage with the agencies to gather more detailed information on legislative budget requests. From there, they’ll report back to the committee and make recommendations for the coming fiscal year,” said Rep. Tiffany Esposito (R-Deltona).
Florida Senate President Ben Albritton (R-Bartow), a fourth-generation citrus grower, is also keeping a close eye on the situation. Asked about his plans for the industry, Albritton emphasized his commitment to preserving citrus production in the Sunshine State.
“I wouldn't say that we are well by any stretch, but we are definitely still alive,” he said. “We’re going to fight for it. We believe in investing in research, large-scale research in the field, and exploring every solution-driven approach we can find. It matters. It matters to rural Florida, and it’s part of the DNA of Florida.”
Albritton’s strong endorsement has given many hope that funding will be included in the next state budget, though the exact amount remains uncertain. Meanwhile, tensions between Florida lawmakers and the governor over an immigration bill could have unpredictable effects on the goals of leadership. Gov. Ron DeSantis does wield a line-item veto pen.
Despite the challenges, the citrus industry continues to highlight its significant financial impact on Florida’s economy, generating over $6.8 billion annually and paying nearly half a billion dollars in local and state taxes.
Looking ahead, expect more meetings and discussions— and eventually, a comprehensive state budget at the end of the legislative session in May. While the details remain unclear, the fact that leadership is paying attention bodes well for those focused on juicing the industry’s future.
NEWS LITERACY WEEK
Excited, idealistic, and not jaded. Those are a few words ABC Action News reporter Michael Paluska would use to describe the USF journalism students he interviewed for News Literacy Week.
