The Florida Senate on Wednesday passed its version of the state budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year, approving the General Appropriations Act in a 98-6 vote and agreeing to proceed to conference negotiations.
Senate Bill 2500, which outlines a balanced state spending plan, includes a $200 million funding package for Florida’s citrus industry, backed by Senate President Ben Albritton. The initiative, branded by legislative leaders as “Make Citrus Great Again,” includes $190 million to support large-scale field trials and grove rehabilitation and an additional $10 million for packinghouse equipment upgrades through a cost-share program administered by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
“Mark my words, Florida citrus is not going down on my watch,” Albritton said. “This heritage industry is not only vital to our state’s economy, but it is truly a part of our DNA. Florida will lead the way in pursuing these opportunities.”
Albritton further characterized the industry as a foundational component of Florida’s economy, citing its estimated $6.9 billion economic impact and employment of tens of thousands of Floridians. The funding, he said, aims to restore productivity through a combination of grove management strategies, disease-resistant varieties, and therapeutic technologies.
The budget directs a minimum of $125 million to be used for the acquisition of new citrus trees. Initially, 60 percent of these funds will be allocated to growers with groves between five and 2,500 acres. The remaining funds will be opened to all growers following the initial application period. A maximum of 2 percent, not exceeding $2 million, may be used for administrative and operational costs associated with the program.
According to the Senate proposal, the large-scale field trials will evaluate combinations of grove design, planting preparation, pest and disease management, therapeutic tools, and disease-resistant tree varieties. These trials are intended to guide future practices to restore productivity across the industry.
The plan also requires the Citrus Research and Development Foundation to host quarterly public meetings in key citrus-producing regions. These sessions must include updates on current and planned research projects, with opportunities for public input. Scientists, growers, industry representatives, and Foundation officials are expected to participate.
Senate President Pro Tempore Jason Brodeur, who chairs the Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment and General Government, said ongoing research efforts have yielded promising advances in the fight against citrus greening. He cited developments in mitigating symptoms, increasing fruit size, and identifying disease-tolerant plant varieties.
“Growers today have a better understanding of how to fight greening than five years ago, bringing hope to the entire industry. Groundbreaking research has led to treatments that mitigate the symptoms of greening, new studies have produced disease-tolerant and disease-resistant varieties, and innovative therapies are helping to prevent fruit drop and increase fruit size. We will leave no stone unturned,” Brodeur said. “We will leave no stone unturned.”
0 Comments