Florida orange and grapefruit juice will start flowing again in the state’s welcome centers on July 1. The Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) on June 17 approved a new contract with Visit Florida to provide not-from-concentrate citrus juice at the welcome centers for one year. The Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC), which the FCC oversees, will spend $250,000 to cover the cost of the citrus beverages.
The FDOC has a long history of supporting the welcome center juice program, which has been in place since at least the 1970s. The program provides free juice samples to the many visitors who stop at the welcome centers on interstate highways near Florida’s borders with other states.
The FDOC did not renew the contract for the 2019-20 season due to a decrease in its overall budget, including $4 million less in general revenue funding from the state compared to the previous year.
Visit Florida is the official visitors’ source for Florida travel planning. It was established in 1996 as a public/private partnership. Visit Florida is funded by the Florida Legislature and the state’s tourism industry.
See a February report on Florida Senate discussions about Visit Florida and the juice program at welcome centers.
Source: Florida Department of Citrus
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