Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) Chairman Steve Johnson recently cited ways the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) has been helping keep momentum going for Florida citrus.
During the Sept. 23–26 International Citrus and Beverage Conference, Marisa Zansler (FDOC director of economic and market research) gave a citrus outlook and marketing update to key stakeholders in the beverage market. The overarching message was of the stark realities we face globally against citrus greening juxtaposed by the fact that the Florida citrus industry remains a cornerstone of the domestic beverage market.
Zansler also underscored the importance of sustaining consumer demand during this time of supply challenges. In other words, the most important takeaway here is that the Florida citrus grower outlook — despite all of these challenges — shows promise.
At the recent Juice Summit in Bruges, Belgium, Rosa Walsh (FDOC director of scientific research) echoed this message to industry experts and colleagues during her presentation, “Demand Meets Scarcity: On the Road to a Florida OJ Recovery.” Walsh expounded on how replanting efforts through key programs like the Program for Expedited Propagation (PEP) and how making more HLB-tolerant varieties available to citrus growers for commercial-scale field trials are critical for keeping momentum going toward recovery.
The FDOC Scientific Research Department has been in close communication with CRAFT (Citrus Research and Field Trial Foundation) and is fine-tuning a plan for the 2025–26 PEP.
Most recently, the FDOC marketing team was at the Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo to connect with experts who can help educate consumers about the health benefits of 100% orange juice. By showcasing the science-based research supporting these benefits, we can arm registered dietitian nutritionists and other health experts with the knowledge of how to inform consumers about the value of Florida orange juice and Florida citrus when consumed as part of a healthy diet.
In addition to these examples and many other strategic research and marketing efforts, the FCC is working collaboratively with industry stakeholders to submit comments for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration proposed ruling to lower the standard of identity for pasteurized orange juice from 10.5 to 10 Brix degrees. The comments will detail how the change would benefit both the industry and consumers.
Source: Florida Department of Citrus
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