Citrus Growing in North Central Florida: Perceptions and Change

Abstract

The devastating freezes of the 1980s are widely believed to have dealt a severe blow to the citrus growers of north central Florida. Yet the industry has rebounded in many places, but looks irretrievably lost in others. To those concerned with and involved in Florida's agricultural development, the damaging freezes of the 1980's pose several questions: (1) To what extent did these freezes change the livelihood of growers located at the northernmost fringe of the citrus belt in Florida?; (2) Did the freezes impose changes in the strategies of citrus cultivating?; (3) What do growers now think, after the freezes, about foreign competition III the world trade in citrus products, as well as foreign imports of these products; (4) What should be the response of the U.S and Florida governments in helping growers meet this foreign competition;(5) Will this region make a comeback to the citrus producing levels of the pre-freeze years?