CLERMONT, Fla. — Production of oranges in Florida is down 33% this year compared to last season, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.
Florida is forecast this season to produce 12 million boxes of oranges, with each box weighing about 90 pounds, the USDA said.
At least some of the blame can be attributed to storm damage from Hurricane Milton, growers say.
What You Need To Know
- Florida orange production dropped 33% this season, the USDA forecasted
- Damage from Hurricane Milton added to concerns about citrus greening and the sale of land to developers, growers say
- One farm in Clermont has expanded its operations to include agritourism, monster truck adventures and more
- Funding from the state and USDA assistance for storm recovery aims to help the industry improve its outlook long term
While Tara Boshell married into a decades-old Lake County citrus family, her roots for farming run deep.
“I grew up on an apple orchard. I moved from apples to oranges down here,” said Boshell, who manages the Showcase of Citrus.
But the industry has seen its share of hits in the state — among them greening disease, storms and the drop in acreage for groves due to the lure of selling the land to developers.
“There’s wind damage from the hurricanes," Boshell said. "These are tough little suckers; they’ve been growing here in Florida for years. We’ve had hurricanes for years. And the majority of these trees want to live.”
That is why Showcase of Citrus has diversified what it offers for locals and tourists alike. It’s more than just a farm now — it’s a place for people to grab a drink or even feed exotic animals. Boshell said income from those offerings covers the bills, especially when the farm's U-pick operation isn’t thriving.
“We’ve been diversified for 30-some-odd years. It’s not just the citrus. It’s going to be the agritourism venue, with the monster truck adventures, and then we have the farm animals and exotic animals,” Boshell said. “It’s not worth giving up yet.”
But Boshell and the rest of the Showcase of Citrus crew said they have hope for citrus in the community. Many citrus growers are experimenting with a program called "CUPS," which stands for Citrus Under Protective Screen.
“We put up a greenhouse," Boshell said. "It’s a screened greenhouse, and we are trying different varieties in that to keep the disease out and the healthy citrus in.”
The citrus industry is still a staple in Florida, though, and the state continues investing in it. In the last session of the Florida Legislature, lawmakers approved $40 million in the state budget to help the citrus industry.
The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service in Florida also is still accepting applications from agricultural landowners and producers that sustained hurricane damage this year. The agency said about $26 million will be made available to address resource concerns. The deadline to apply is Dec. 20, 2024.