Florida citrus growers face ongoing challenges, prompting some to sell their groves. A bipartisan legislative proposal aims to ease these burdens. The "Defending Domestic Orange Juice Production Act" was introduced by Sen. Ashley Moody on April 2. This legislation proposes that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reduce the Brix standard for not-from-concentrate pasteurized orange juice from 10.5% to 10%.
Sen. Moody stated, "The Sunshine State is world famous for our fresh-from-Florida orange juice, and many folks in our state depend on this industry being protected for their livelihoods." The proposed change would not affect the taste or nutritional value of the juice but could benefit growers economically.
Current regulations require oranges to meet the 10.5% Brix standard for use in not-from-concentrate pasteurized orange juice. Oranges falling below this threshold must be used for other products, typically sold at lower prices. A press release from Congressman Scott Franklin's office noted that the adjustment would better reflect the natural composition of current crops affected by hurricanes, citrus greening disease, and other issues.
Franklin, advocating similar legislation in the House, mentioned, "Our growers are losing out on profit to foreign producers and struggling to keep their operations afloat." He added that the change would reduce dependency on imported fruit.
Reports by the Associated Press highlight disasters like Hurricane Irma in 2017, a major freeze, and consecutive hurricanes in recent years, contributing to a 90% decline in orange production over two decades. Florida's orange groves have decreased from over 800,000 acres to less than 300,000, with some areas converted to residential use. Alico Inc., a major grower, announced plans to cease citrus operations, and the Gulf Citrus Growers Association closed last year.
Matt Joyner, Executive Vice President and CEO of Florida Citrus Mutual, remarked, "From battling citrus greening to facing the devastating impacts of back-to-back hurricanes, our industry has faced immense challenges." He noted that aligning the Brix standard with natural sugars could support consumer demand, maintain competitiveness, and reduce reliance on imports.
Source: News Channel 8