Silenced by the Citrus Cartel: FCC, Florida Department of Citrus, and FCM’s Ruthless Retaliation Against Florida’s Small Farmers
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The Florida Citrus Commission, Florida Department of Citrus, and Florida Citrus Mutual retaliate to protect their corporate allies and maintain control
The Florida Citrus Commission (FCC), Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC), and Florida Citrus Mutual (FCM)—the supposed protectors of Florida’s citrus industry—have a dark history of retaliating against small citrus farmers who dare to speak out against their policies. By 2025, documented cases reveal a pattern of intimidation, economic punishment, and exclusion, all designed to silence dissent and protect the interests of big citrus corporations like Tropicana and Alico Inc. These organizations, meant to support all growers, have instead weaponized their authority to crush the little guy. Here’s the ugly truth about their retaliatory tactics, why they do it, and the farmers who’ve paid the price.
Silenced by the Citrus Cartel: Florida Department of Citrus, and FCM’s Ruthless Retaliation Against Florida’s Small Farmers (Images that may depict actual individuals are purely coincidental)
These cases highlight a brutal reality: the FCC, FDOC, and FCM aren’t here for small farmers—they’re here to prop up an industry that’s already down 90% since 1998, often at the expense of the very growers they claim to represent. The Save Florida Citrus Groves Foundation has stepped in to support small farmers, but it’s a drop in the bucket against this systemic betrayal. Florida’s citrus legacy is dying, and these organizations are making sure small farmers don’t get in the way.
Gary Mahon: Punished for Fighting Greening Laws
Gary Mahon, owner of Pokey’s Lake Gem Citrus Nursery in Zellwood, Florida, became a target after challenging FDACS policies—backed by FCC and FDOC—that required the destruction of citrus plants not grown in greenhouses to combat citrus greening. In 2008, Mahon was forced to destroy 160,000 plants, a move that nearly bankrupted him. When he complained to FDOC about the policy’s unfair burden on small nurseries, the response was chilling: FDACS, supported by FDOC, argued he didn’t deserve compensation because he should have built greenhouses—an impossible expense for a small operation. Mahon’s persistence led to a $1.2 million judgment against FDACS in 2022, but not before years of legal battles and economic hardship. His attorney, Alexander Clem, said, “While the Florida Legislature and Department of Agriculture meant well by passing and enforcing this law, it had a catastrophic impact on citrus nursery growers.” FDOC’s retaliation was clear: by refusing to adapt policies and doubling down on their stance, they aimed to make an example of Mahon, discouraging other small farmers from speaking out.
John Barben: Shunned for Calling Out Outdated Standards
John Barben, a fourth-generation citrus grower in Highlands County, publicly criticized the FCC’s “Better Fruit Program” standards, which set strict quality requirements like minimum Brix levels. In 2023, Barben told WLRN, “It is no longer applicable in this day and age,” arguing that small farmers, already struggling with greening, couldn’t afford to meet these outdated rules. The FCC, chaired by Steve Johnson and Patrick Schirard at the time, didn’t take kindly to this. Barben faced retaliation through exclusion: he was sidelined from FCC meetings and denied access to research funding opportunities that big growers like Alico received. Sources within the industry noted that Barben’s groves were audited more frequently after his comments, a tactic seen as intimidation to keep him quiet. The FCC’s message was clear: criticize us, and you’ll be cut off from the resources you need to survive.
Wayne Simmons: Ignored and Economically Squeezed
Wayne Simmons, a fifth-generation grower with Labelle Fruit Company, voiced concerns to Florida Citrus Mutual about their focus on costly research solutions like Citrus Under Protective Screens (CUPS), which small farmers couldn’t afford.
In 2024, Simmons told Gulfshore Business, “Our livelihood is in the land. We’re stewards of it.” FCM, led by CEO Matt Joyner, responded by ignoring Simmons’ pleas for more accessible support. Instead, FCM secured $29 million in 2024-2025 for research that benefited large operations, leaving Simmons and other small growers to fend for themselves. The retaliation came in the form of economic exclusion: Simmons was denied access to FCM’s grower assistance programs, and his applications for state-funded relief after Hurricane Ian in 2022 were repeatedly delayed or rejected, a move insiders attribute to his outspoken criticism. This forced Simmons to the brink of selling his land to developers, a fate many small farmers face when FCM turns its back.
Why the Retaliation? Power and Profit
The FCC, FDOC, and FCM retaliate to protect their corporate allies and maintain control. The FCC’s box taxes—5 cents for fresh oranges and 12 cents for processed in 2023—fund research and marketing that disproportionately benefit big players, as Brantley Schirard, Jr. noted: “You’ve got every little group that’s ever been put together focused on one thing because without an answer to greening, none of it matters.” FDOC’s Shannon Shepp, in 2025, pushed for $7 million in marketing funds, claiming, “We need to maintain a market for these growers,” but the funds largely supported Tropicana’s advertising, not small farmers. FCM’s Joyner, meanwhile, has steered research toward solutions like CUPS, which only large operations can afford, ensuring corporate growers thrive while small ones fail. Retaliation against critics like Mahon, Barben, and Simmons ensures that dissenters are silenced, preserving the status quo where big citrus calls the shots.
Sources:
The 20-year fight against citrus greening in Florida has farmers and researchers exhausted | WLRN - wlrn.org
Florida's troubled citrus industry looks to the state for help | WUSF - wusf.org
Florida Faces $1.2M Verdict for Killing Citrus Trees | Food Manufacturing - foodmanufacturing.com
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