Florida's citrus industry didn't get much help from the Legislature or Gov. Charlie Crist this year. Growers are hoping for better results in Washington, D.C.

In its ongoing battle against bugs and blight, Florida Citrus Mutual has endorsed legislation that would divert a portion of the federal tariff on imported citrus products, including frozen concentrate orange juice, to finance the Citrus Disease Research and Development Trust Fund.

The money would be distributed by a nine-member board comprised of representatives from citrus-producing states: Florida, California, Arizona and Texas.

Citrus greening disease is threatening to wipe out the Florida citrus industry, the Lakeland-based Citrus Mutual warns. The blight, which can be found in all 32 Florida commercial citrus-producing counties, can kill trees in two years. It was discovered in 2005 and is not native to Florida.

"We are in the fight of our lives," said Michael W. Sparks, executive vice president and CEO of Florida Citrus Mutual. He said the federal legislation sponsored by Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., "will certainly give us a leg up in protecting an essential U.S. industry."

Over the past four years, Florida growers have committed more than $39 million to research greening and its vector, the Asian citrus psyllid. The effort has resulted in more than 100 ongoing research projects, the Citrus Mutual said.

The Florida citrus industry creates a $9 billion annual economic impact, employing nearly 76,000 people and spanning more than 576,000 acres.

Battling another threat, Florida citrus executive Dan Richey is on Capitol Hill this week seeking to lift limits on certain fruit shipments to other citrus-producing states.

Richey, CEO of Riverfront Groves in Vero Beach, said his industry is seeking a new rule that would allow shipment of blemished fruit to all markets.

Since 2006, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has limited the shipping of blemished fruit to other citrus-producing states.

Source: sunshinestatenews.com