Trevor Murphy arrives at his father’s orange grove in Lake Wales, Florida, part of a rapidly expanding area, and notes the encroachment of suburban homes on the farm’s boundaries. “Eventually, this won’t be an orange grove anymore,” he reflects, noticing the proliferation of cookie-cutter houses that threaten the longstanding agricultural landscape.
Polk County, which encompasses Lake Wales, leads the state in citrus acreage. In 2023, it welcomed more newcomers than any other county in the United States. Faced with challenges like hurricane damage and the devastating citrus greening disease, many growers must make the tough choice to sell their family groves to developers meeting the demand for new housing. However, some, including Murphy, continue to persevere, hoping for future solutions to combat the disease.
The situation has been exacerbated by recent hurricanes and a series of environmental hardships. Hurricane Irma’s impact in 2017 marked another challenge for Florida’s orange industry, already in decline due to citrus greening. The damage from subsequent freezes and storms further compounded issues. Murphy mentions that trees losing branches in hurricanes can require up to three years for recovery.
Florida’s citrus production has plummeted by 90% over the past two decades. The state’s once expansive groves, spanning over 832,000 acres at the beginning of the 2000s, shrank to just 275,000 acres last year. California has since surpassed Florida as the top citrus producer in the country.
“Losing the citrus industry isn’t an option,” declares Matt Joyner, CEO of Florida Citrus Mutual. “Citrus is synonymous with Florida,” he stresses, emphasizing the cultural and economic importance of the fruit to the state. Yet, even major growers like Alico Inc. are scaling back operations. Alico plans to phase out citrus farming on more than 53,000 acres due to a sharp decline in production over the past decade, affecting processors who relied heavily on their output.
The citrus industry’s downturn aligns with declining orange juice consumption in the U.S., which saw a minor increase during the COVID-19 pandemic but has otherwise been on a downward trend for 20 years. The Gulf Citrus Growers Association, a major industry player, ceased operations last year, reflecting these challenges.
Real estate pressures are adding to the strain. Florida’s population surged by over 467,000 people last year, necessitating more housing development. Prominent citrus families are increasingly selling their groves, fetching prices up to $25,000 per acre, to meet this demand.
Despite these difficulties, Murphy remains committed to citrus farming. He owns several hundred acres of groves and, while closing a caretaking business last year, has no plans to leave the industry. However, his real estate license has come in handy as he navigates the shifting land market, selling some acres to developers and using the proceeds to clear debts and invest in replanting efforts.
“Hopefully, we’re at the bottom and starting to climb back up,” Murphy says with optimism, looking forward to a turnaround.
The decline of citrus could impact a whole ecosystem, risking 33,000 jobs and causing a $6.8 billion economic hit in Florida. Various businesses, from juice processors to candy makers, depend on the crop and eagerly anticipate a resolution to the greening disease.
Tom Davidson, whose parents founded a citrus candy factory in 1966, echoes this sentiment. The drop in citrus yield has forced his business to adapt its product offerings and pricing.
Efforts to combat citrus greening are ongoing. Scientists are developing a genetically modified tree capable of killing citrus greening insects. Lukasz Stelinski, an entomologist at the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, explains that this involves inserting a gene into citrus trees to produce a protein lethal to the pests. However, it could be several years before these trees are available for planting.
In the meantime, growers are exploring alternative methods, such as protective screens for trees, antibiotic injections, and identifying naturally resistant tree varieties. “It’s like being a Lions fan before they started winning,” Stelinski jokes, expressing hope for a turnaround.
