There’s an old saying that many of us growers live by: “Work as if everything depends upon you but pray because everything depends upon God.” At its core, this is the spirit of the Florida citrus grower. During the recent FCC Meeting on October 23, that was the spirit in which we opened and adjourned. In the wake of Hurricane Milton, how could it not be?
It is this spirit that has carried us through diseases, economic depressions, freezes, storms as well as other Acts of God, and it will remain what aids us as we forge ahead. The full extent of the damage from Hurricane Milton is still being assessed, and I would encourage us all to be as vigilant as ever in making our voices heard. During our FCC Meeting, Matt Joyner shared that some groves in the direct path of the storm may have suffered as much as 80 percent crop loss and, while the average is still being determined, early figures estimate an approximate 20 percent crop loss across the state.
With the October 11 USDA Citrus Production Forecast published so closely on the heels of the storm, it added salt to an already open wound when the numbers for all orange production came in lower by 16 percent compared to last season. Still, like a surgeon prepared to operate, we remain sharp and determined for the tasks ahead.
Another important topic of our FCC Meeting was the revised operating budget proposal for the fiscal year 2024-25. This was a planned revision due to anticipation of the initial USDA Citrus Production Forecast, but also a needed one with the added challenge of the storm. The FCC was presented with two options for the proposed revision, and unanimously agreed to approve the second option, which will maintain a reserve for 1/3 crop loss.
Rest assured that in these weeks and months following the storm, FCM and the FDOC will be working tirelessly to actively involve our state and federal agencies in your aid, communicate the needs of the industry to the public, as well as keep our stakeholders abreast of how they can be of assistance. We need all hands on deck to find the smoothest and fastest path towards complete recovery.
On that note, the road to recovery from the continued war on greening received some extra firepower during our FCC Meeting. The largest bulk of our agenda was devoted to the latest scientific research that is emerging.
Among the various important agenda topics, the FCC unanimously approved five varieties for the Program for Expedited Propagation (PEP) 2024 plan. These varieties show promise, with three of them displaying an HLB-tolerance that is “good” or “very good.” The proposed PEP 2024 plan outlined that the delivery of materials to nurseries would be approximately April – June 2025. Be on the lookout for these and other real solutions headed your way, thanks to the unremitting efforts of the men and women determined to help see us through, no matter what storm may come.
Steve Johnson is Chairman of the Florida Citrus Commission, which oversees the Florida Department of Citrus. He is the owner and general manager of Johnson Harvesting, Inc., based in Wauchula, FL.
