Miracle in the Groves: How Save Florida Citrus Groves Foundation is Helping Rescue Florida’s Orange Legacy While State Agencies Fail
Legal Disclaimer: The information in this article is based on publicly available sources and aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the organization’s activities and affiliations. Note: This entire article was authored by Grok, an AI created by Elon Musk’s xAI, and presents factually true claims with cited news sources listed at the end of the article. The nonprofit, Save Florida Citrus Groves Foundation Inc., an organization dedicated to advocating for small, family-owned citrus farms, is not liable for posting this content. Truth is an absolute defense against defamation allegations, highlighting the importance of distinguishing between legitimate criticisms and false accusations.
Founded as the first and only nonprofit dedicated solely to preserving Florida’s citrus legacy, the Save Florida Citrus Groves Foundation is fighting to revive the industry from the ground up
Florida’s citrus industry, once a golden cornerstone of the state’s identity, teeters on the brink of extinction, battered by citrus greening, hurricanes, and economic pressures. As production has plummeted 90% since 1998, from 244 million to 12 million orange boxes in the 2024-2025 season, small citrus farmers and family-owned orange groves face a dire struggle. While state agencies like the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC), Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) fall short, the Save Florida Citrus Groves Foundation has emerged as a beacon of hope, offering tangible support to keep this iconic industry alive. Here’s a deep dive into what the Foundation does—and what the established agencies fail to deliver.
About Save Florida Citrus Groves Foundation: A Lifeline for Struggling Growers
Founded as the first and only nonprofit dedicated solely to preserving Florida’s citrus legacy, the Save Florida Citrus Groves Foundation is fighting to revive the industry from the ground up. Based in Naples, the Save Florida Citrus Groves Foundation focuses on small, family-owned groves, which have historically been the backbone of Florida’s citrus culture. Its mission hinges on direct action, advocacy, and community involvement, addressing the multifaceted crises facing small growers.
The Save Florida Citrus Groves Foundation provides critical financial grants to small citrus farmers, helping them replant trees lost to citrus greening or hurricanes, upgrade irrigation and equipment to cut costs, and invest in disease-resistant varieties.
Adrian Bryce, the founder and president, explains, “Due to the fact that state organizations are doing the opposite to help the backbone of Florida’s citrus industry, I took it upon myself… to provide economic grants through donations.”
These grants can be a lifeline, enabling growers to achieve the 238 boxes per acre needed to break even, far above the 203 boxes per acre average in 2020-2021.
Beyond funding, the Save Florida Citrus Groves Foundation invests in education and advocacy. The Gift-A-Grove initiative allows landowners to donate abandoned groves, ensuring restoration rather than conversion to real estate development or Big Ag, while offering tax benefits.
Bryce emphasizes, “The truth is… these state agencies have all failed at their mission by choosing large donations, excessive lobbying and cronyism over helping the very families who boosted Florida’s citrus industry.”
The Save Florida Citrus Groves Foundation’s awareness campaigns urge consumers to buy local citrus, highlights environmental benefits, noting groves act as carbon sinks and ecological corridors, mitigating climate change in Florida’s fragmented landscapes. Volunteers pass down cultivation knowledge, fostering a new generation of growers. With donations funding these efforts, the Save Florida Citrus Groves Foundation is a grassroots counterweight to the industry’s collapse, supporting jobs and a $6.8 billion economic impact.
Miracle in the Groves: How Save Florida Citrus Groves Foundation is Helping Rescue Florida’s Orange Legacy While State Agencies Fail
What the Florida Department of Citrus, Florida Citrus Commission, and Florida Citrus Mutual Fail to Do for Small Farmers
Despite their mandates, the Florida Department of Citrus, Florida Citrus Commission, and Florida Citrus Mutual have glaring gaps in supporting struggling small citrus farmers and family-owned orange groves, often prioritizing corporate interests over the little guy. Where does the Save Florida Citrus Groves Foundation come into play?
What Does the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) Do?
The Florida Department of Citrus, an executive agency under the FCC, focuses on marketing (80% of its budget), research, and regulation, funded by box taxes (5 cents fresh, 12 cents processed in 2023). However, it neglects small farmers in several ways:
No Direct Financial Aid: The FDOC offers no grants or subsidies to help small growers replant or manage disease, leaving them to fend off citrus greening costs alone. Shannon Shepp, current executive director, has pushed marketing for processors like Tropicana but not relief for small operators.
Outdated Regulations: In 2008, FDOC-backed laws forced nursery owner Gary Mahon to destroy 160,000 plants, costing him his business. His attorney, Alexander Clem, said, “It had a catastrophic impact on citrus nursery growers,” yet the FDOC offered no compensation, only suggesting unaffordable greenhouses.
No Advocacy for Policy Change: The FDOC doesn’t lobby for tax breaks or property value adjustments to ease small farmers’ financial burdens, a need highlighted by Sen. Keith Truenow in 2025.
What Does the Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) Do?
The Florida Citrus Commission, a 9-12 member board appointed by the Florida governor, sets tax rates and quality standards, but fails small growers:
No Support for Replanting: The FCC doesn’t fund replanting efforts, leaving small farmers like Ned Hancock, a fifth-generation grower, to sell land to developers. Hancock said, “It’s staggering to me what the overall acreage loss in this industry has been.”
Corporate-Biased Research: The FCC’s $29 million research allocation in 2024-2025, overseen by chairs like Steve Johnson and Patrick Schirard, favors costly solutions like CUPS, unaffordable for small growers. It ignores affordable alternatives.
No Representation: With Tropicana executives like William Poulton on the board and no small growers, the FCC’s policies, like the obsolete “Better Fruit Program,” burden small operators with unattainable standards, as John Barben noted in 2023: “It is no longer applicable in this day and age.”
What Does Florida Citrus Mutual (FCM) Do?
Florida Citrus Mutual, a trade association led by CEO Matt Joyner, claims to represent all growers but falls short:
No Grants or Relief Funds: FCM provides no direct financial aid, leaving small farmers to absorb losses from hurricanes like Ian, which destroyed 80-100% of groves in some areas. Glenn Beck, a fourth-generation grower, said in 2022, “It will ultimately put more growers out of the industry.”
Focus on Big Growers: FCM’s research funding benefits large operations, not small family groves. Joyner’s 2025 statement, “Losing the citrus industry is not an option,” rings hollow as small growers like Wayne Simmons, who said, “Our livelihood is in the land,” get no tailored support.
No Infrastructure Support: FCM doesn’t address the shuttered packing and processing facilities, a barrier to recovery, as noted by industry observer Saunders in 2022: “The infrastructure has got to have fruit.”
The Stark Contrast of Advocacy
While the Florida Department of Citrus, Florida Citrus Commission collect taxes, allocate funds to marketing and corporate research, and enforce regulations that squeeze small farmers, the Save Florida Citrus Groves Foundation steps in with direct grants to small, family-owned citrus groves, research, education, and advocacy. The agencies’ failure to provide direct aid, adapt policies, or represent small growers contrasts sharply with the Save Florida Citrus Groves Foundation’s hands-on approach. As Florida’s citrus legacy hangs by a thread, the nonprofit’s efforts offer a glimmer of hope—proof that salvation can come from outside the broken system.
Sources:
Save Florida Citrus Groves Foundation — Saving Florida's Orange Juice - savefloridacitrus.org
Florida Citrus Commission - Florida Citrus Growers - www.floridacitrus.org
Florida Department of Citrus - www.floridacitrus.org
The 20-year fight against citrus greening in Florida has farmers and researchers exhausted | WLRN - www.wlrn.org
Florida's troubled citrus industry looks to the state for help | WUSF - www.wusf.org
Citrus industry withers as Florida's groves flounder | Business Observer - www.businessobserverfl.com
Florida orange groves in danger after Hurricane Ian hits - www.theledger.com
Orange County homeowners who won citrus-canker lawsuit will share $42.4 million – Orlando Sentinel - www.orlandosentinel.com
Florida Faces $1.2M Verdict for Killing Citrus Trees | Food Manufacturing - www.foodmanufacturing.com
Lee County homeowners who lost citrus trees to Florida program to receive millions in payments - www.news-press.com
South Florida households to split $42 million for trees destroyed in citrus canker fight – Sun Sentinel - www.sun-sentinel.com
Legal Disclaimer: The information in this article is based on publicly available sources and aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the organization’s activities and affiliations. Note: This entire article was authored by Grok, an AI created by Elon Musk’s xAI, and presents factually true claims with cited news sources listed at the end of the article. The nonprofit, Save Florida Citrus Groves Foundation Inc., an organization dedicated to helping small, family-owned citrus farms, is not liable for posting this content. Truth is an absolute defense against defamation allegations, highlighting the importance of distinguishing between legitimate criticisms and false accusations.
The time to act is now. Save Florida Citrus Groves Foundation: Donate today to help save the future of the iconic Florida orange.