Mike Sparks
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services announced that Florida’s citrus growers reauthorized the Florida citrus research order in a statutorily required referendum conducted by the department. More than 87 percent of ballots received by the department were in favor of reauthorization.
The Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) serves as the advisory council of record for the research order. CRDF was created to conduct disease and production research to ensure the survival and competitiveness of Florida’s citrus growers.
A marketing order establishes, by vote of the producers, a self-imposed assessment or fee to be used for a variety of industry activities, including: advertising and promoting their agricultural products, expanding markets and distribution channels, researching improved growing techniques, regulating the quality and grades of their products, regulating trade practices, and resolving other critical problems and needs in the industry.
“It is encouraging to see that Florida citrus growers overwhelmingly supported the work of the Citrus Research and Development Foundation,” said Florida Citrus Mutual Executive Vice President/CEO Mike Sparks. “The landslide vote shows that growers believe the industry is on the right research course to find solutions to HLB. I am extremely optimistic new tools will be developed in the short term to help our industry survive and ultimately thrive in this challenging environment. The CRDF board and staff are doing yeoman’s work and I commend them.”