LAKE WALES, Fla. — Today, U.S. Senator Ashley Moody continued the fight for Florida’s citrus growers. Surrounded by farmers and industry leaders at Florida’s Natural Visitors Center, Senator Moody discussed her Defending Domestic Orange Juice Production Act and addressed the future of Florida’s citrus industry that has been impacted by nonsensical government overregulation. Senator Moody highlighted industry challenges and outlined steps to support Florida’s citrus farmers by eliminating burdensome federal regulations.
Senator Ashley Moody said, “Since my first days in the U.S. Senate, I have been fighting to protect Florida’s farmers. Our citrus growers have faced many challenges – from hurricanes to disease. These challenges are being exacerbated by nonsensical overreach, and it is about time the federal government started helping our farmers instead of harming them through overregulation. That is why I am sponsoring the Defending Domestic Orange Juice Production Act. As Florida’s newest U.S. Senator, I am proud to work on policies that support our growers while cutting red tape and helping our state’s citrus industry thrive.”
Congressman Scott Franklin said, “Outdated standards and needless red tape are standing in the way of Florida citrus’s big comeback. While slow-moving FDA bureaucrats take years to deliberate a small regulatory adjustment, our growers are losing out on profit to foreign producers and struggling to keep their operations afloat. This simple fix throws them a lifeline, allowing more domestic product to come to market without sacrificing quality for consumers. Helping Florida’s flagship crop is a bipartisan issue, and I’m grateful to my Florida colleagues for joining me to update this harmful regulation.”
Matt Joyner, Executive Vice President and CEO of Florida Citrus Mutual said, “Senator Moody understands the vital role citrus plays in Florida’s economy, our rural communities and the identity of our state, and her introduction of the Defending Domestic Orange Juice Production Act alongside Senator Rick Scott comes at a critical time. This legislation is an important, forward-thinking solution to supporting Florida’s citrus industry as it rebuilds from the ongoing impacts of citrus greening and hurricanes.”
The legislation would direct the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to lower the required level of sugar/solids content (brix standard) in not-from-concentrate pasteurized orange juice from 10.5 percent weight of orange juice soluble solids to 10 percent; a change that would not make a discernable difference in taste nor nutritional value. The change would, however, make a difference for citrus growers who have dealt with major hardships such as hurricanes in the past few years.
###