BARTOW, Fla. – The Florida Citrus Commission unanimously elected Avon Park citrus grower Ned Hancock as its new chairman during the October meeting.
Hancock replaces Ellis Hunt Jr., who served as chairman since 2015 and continues to serve on the board.
Hancock is the owner and president of Hancock Citrus. A fifth-generation citrus grower, Hancock still owns a grove on property that has remained in his family since 1870. He has a bachelor’s degree in agriculture from the University of Florida, currently serves on the Citrus Research and Education Foundation Board and has previously served on the Highlands County Citrus Growers Association Board, the School Board of Highlands County and a wide range of community organizations.
Hancock was first appointed to the Florida Citrus Commission in 2014.
About the Florida Citrus Commission
The Florida Citrus Commission is the governing board of the Florida Department of Citrus, an executive agency of the Florida government charged with the marketing, research and regulation of the Florida citrus industry. The commission is a nine-member board appointed by the governor to represent citrus growers, processors and packers. FDOC activities are funded by a tax paid by growers on each box of citrus that moves through commercial channels. The industry employs more than 50,000 people and provides an annual economic impact of $7.2 billion to the state. For more information about the Florida Department of Citrus, please visit FloridaCitrus.org.
