Senate budget hopes for $200 million for citrus industry, study on emerging crops

Yahoo

09-04-2025

A mural featuring the sights of the Florida A&M University experience painted at the Efferson Student Union on Dec. 31, 2024. (Photo by Jay Waagmeester/Florida Phoenix)
The Senate approved its version of the state budget for the fiscal year that opens in July on Wednesday, and it includes $200 million for Florida's beleaguered citrus industry.
Senators hope to secure $190 million for field trials for planting preparation, pest management, and disease management.
Much of the $190 million initially would be made available to producers with fewer than 2,500 acres.
'Mark my words, Florida citrus is not going down on my watch. We're on the edge of something special. Florida citrus is making a comeback, one tree at a time,' Senate President Ben Albritton said in a news release.
'This heritage industry is not only vital to our state's economy, but it is truly a part of our DNA. Citrus has been a pillar of our state since the 1500s, serving as a key economic driver within our vital agricultural industry.'
The remaining $10 million would go to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for an 80% cost-share with citrus packinghouses for equipment maintenance or purchase.
While the Senate focuses on funding research to revive the citrus industry (Albritton is a fourth generation citrus farmer), it is looking to support farmers who could grow other crops in the meantime.
The Senate cast unanimous yeas to research crops better suited to sustain Florida's agriculture industry as citrus greening ravages the state's crop of pride.
Sen. Darryl Rouson, a Democrat representing parts of Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, led SB 178, which would commission a Florida A&M University study to determine whether there are 'viable crops or products' that agricultural producers could raise instead of citrus.
Citrus industry, 'decimated' by greening, clings to hope, Simpson says
'FAMU is uniquely positioned to lead this study as a university with a strong history of agricultural research,' Rouson said on the Senate floor Wednesday. 'Their expertise will ensure that the study will provide practical and science-based recommendations to support our growers and maintain Florida's leadership in agriculture.'
The Senate budget proposes $1 million in general revenue for the study.
FAMU, if appropriated the money, would research alternative crops' environmental impact, suitability to Florida's climate, and expected economic benefit.
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Over the past 20 years, the citrus industry in Florida has declined by 90%.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Florida farmers produced nearly 300 million boxes of citrus in 2004. By 2024, harvests yielded about 20 million boxes. The forecast for 2025 is 14.1 million boxes, according to the USDA.
Citrus greening, the insect-carried tree disease that first hit Florida in 2005, has 'decimated' the industry, Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson told the Senate Agriculture Committee on Jan. 14. Psyllids, or plant lice, infect citrus trees, damaging yields and ultimately killing the tree.
In 2019, citrus farmers reported that about 80% of their trees were infected.
Researchers at the University of Florida announced earlier this year that they've found 'one of the most promising discoveries to date' related to greening, although growers are still about five years away from determining how effective UF's findings are.
The bill heads to the House, which does not have a companion bill.
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