Talahassee – With the Florida home and the Senate preparing to negotiate a new state budget, among the major issues they face, Senate Speaker Ben Albritton, a citrus grower, helps the state’s struggling citrus industry.
On Friday, the Senate announced a $1173.6 billion budget proposed for fiscal year 2025-2026, including $200 million directed towards the citrus industry. This would be above the $200 million that the Senate approved in a bill (SB 110) called the “Rural Renaissance” to strengthen rural communities.
The citrus and industry proposal includes $125 million in planting new trees. This is the amount Albritton is sure to be sufficient for an industry facing the lowest seasonal production of the century due to deadly citrus greening disease, hurricane damage and erosion.
“If this proposal is made across the line, again, we need to work with our (House) partners. Finally, we’ll see perhaps $125 million. “But you’ll know pretty quickly what the appetite (from the growers) to join this will do. The program will be. When I move around the industry and talk to my friends, it appears to have a pretty solid appetite.”
The Senate proposal is well over $47 million in citrus-related money included in this fiscal budget, which ends June 30th. The spending plan included techniques to research, treat and prevent citrus greening. Another $9 million was sent to Citrus Marketing.
On Friday, the House announced a $112.95 billion budget proposal for citrus research from 2025 to 2026, including $8 million.
In the proposed 2025-2026 budget, Gov. Ron Desantis included $20 million, what is known as the Citrus Research and the Citrus Health Response Program, totaling $7 million was sent to the Citrus Division.
The House and Senate are expected to approve the budget next week and set up negotiations for the final version in the final week of the legislative meeting, which is scheduled to end May 2nd.
When asked Wednesday as the Florida Citrus Commission was finalizing the number of companies in Congress to plan its next budget, Citrus Director Shannon Shepp replied, “May 2.”
“We’re going back to the conference (negotiations between the House and Senate), as always for us,” Shep said.
The Senate proposal requires nearly a third of the new trees to be first offered to producers between five and 2,500 acres.
The Senate proposal also calls for field trials that combine glove management, treatment tools and rehabilitation of existing trees with resistant fruit for new planting.
“In Florida, there is a growing need for large-scale research, especially with many new varieties, new sources, new treatments, and what we believe the industry can bending the curve,” Albritton told reporters.
The proposal also directs $10 million to the Agriculture and Consumer Services for a cost-sharing program with citrus packed homes for new equipment, repairs and new technology.
As the Senate announced the proposal last week, Albritton has made it clear that it will push for the industry to revitalize after years of production shrinking long.
“The Florida Citrus won’t fall on my watch,” Albritton said in a prepared statement. “This heritage industry is not only integral to the state’s economy, but it’s part of Florida’s DNA.”
Original issue: March 31, 2025 10:50am EDT
