The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is amending the Florida Citrus Marketing Order for fresh citrus to reduce membership of the Florida Citrus Administrative Committee (CAC) and to update quorum requirements.
Other amendments to the marketing order include:
- Revisions to the nomination and selection processes for members
- Removal of the requirement to allocate membership based on volume from each district
- Addition of a new section authorizing the use of domestically sourced voluntary contributions and grant funds for promotion and research projects
CAC recommended these changes to help fulfill membership and quorum requirements and ensure a more efficient and orderly flow of business. Authority to accept voluntary contributions will allow more collaboration with other organizations for research and promotional activities.
CAC unanimously recommended these amendments, and 98% of citrus producers voted in support of the amendments during a referendum conducted April 1 through May 1, 2023. Learn more about that vote here.
The final rule for this action was published in the Federal Register on Dec. 27, 2023. The rule will be effective on Jan. 26, 2024.
More information about the marketing order is available on the USDA Agricultural Marketing Services’ (AMS) 905 Florida Citrus webpage.
The Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937 authorized marketing orders. They are industry-driven programs that help fruit, vegetable and specialty crop producers and handlers achieve marketing success by leveraging their own funds to design and execute programs that they would not be able to do individually. AMS provides oversight to 27 fruit, vegetable and specialty crop marketing orders and agreements, which helps ensure fiscal accountability and program integrity.
Source: USDA AMS