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Today is March 23. Welcome to the third edition of 5 Minutes with the FDOC for 2022.


We know you get a lot of emails. That’s why we’re keeping it short.


In the next 5 minutes (give or take a few seconds), we’ll share highlights from the Department, Commission and industry as well as deliver context on what it means for Florida Citrus.


Got any topics you want to see tackled in future editions? Send us an email at news@citrus.myflorida.com.


Today’s newsletter takes about 5 minutes and 12 seconds to read.

1 | Hot Topic: Escaped Trees

At last week’s Citrus Commission meeting, Dr. Brian Scully, of the USDA, provided an update on three recently rediscovered trees at Whitmore Farms. The Donaldson, Tobias, and St. Michael trees are now being investigated in order to determine their HLB tolerance and potential for future use.


The presentation, which is available here, comes on the heels of the Florida Legislature’s decision to direct $3 million in state funding to support the expedited propagation of budwood for greening tolerant or resistant trees. The funds would be available July 1, if the state budget is approved.


Expect to hear more about these escaped trees as we head into summer.



Commissioners also received updates from CRAFT, NVDMC, and CRDF.

2 | Amidst Increasing Inflation, Consumers Keep OJ in Carts

The latest FDOC Nielsen retail sales report for the period ending Feb. 26 indicates that sales are still trending above the 2019-20 baseline levels as we pass the two-year mark of the pandemic-related shifts in consumer behavior.


Year-over-year NFC OJ sales were up by 4.3% compared to the baseline season while recon sales decreased by 0.3%. Average season year-to-date NFC OJ sales are up by 11.2% while recon sales are down by 1.4% when compared to the 2019-20 baseline season.


Across the board, prices are up. The Consumer Price Index notes inflation is up by 7.9% in February, continuing an upward trend, while the average price of OJ is up 6.6% year over year.


Meanwhile, the Department’s eCommerce program continues to drive sales of Florida Orange Juice, reaching $46.5 million last week.

3 | Changes to the FCC

Come July 1, the Citrus Commission will have a couple of new seats at the dais. A new bill passed by the state legislature this month revises the structure of the Commission from three to six grower districts, with one grower member from each region.


New requirements also call for at least one grower on the commission with more than 5,000 acres. Growers can now also live or grow in the district they represent. Additionally, three commission members must be statewide processer members and one must be a packer member from the Indian River district. In total, this will bring the number of commissioners to 11. 


While the changes will take place immediately in the new fiscal year, no impact is expected on current commissioners and any new commissioners will have to be appointed by the Governor.

4 | Staying Informed

Marketing trends, consumer behaviors, economics, and science are constantly evolving, but staying on top of them is a core part of what the Department does to ensure that programs align with the reality of the world. From reports to press releases, to news stories, here’s a look at what we’ve been reading lately:


RETAIL: Publix has long been a Florida favorite, but what does Amazon’s growth in our state mean for the company? This Ledger article takes a look at the changes taking place in the retail landscape.



ECOMMERCE: Online shopping continues to thrive – even in the face of rising inflation. This Reuters article shares that online shopping is expected to reach $1 trillion this year.


INFLATION: Despite few U.S. imports from Ukraine and Russia, food prices here may still be impacted due to Russia’s production of fertilizer, according to this Washington Post article.


FOODSERVICE: This USDA Economic Research Service report dives into the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food-service sales, finding that most establishments had reduced transactions and spending during the national emergency.



NUTRITION: The Alliance for Food & Farming, an FDOC partner, announced the appointment of two registered dietitians to its board, according to their press release. The organization says that the two dietitian and nutrition communicators “will serve in an advisory capacity to the Board and staff to provide counsel and input on outreach and communications to consumers about the safety of all produce and the importance of increased consumption of fruits and vegetables for better health.”

Looking for previous editions of 5 Minutes with the FDOC? Click here.

Florida Department of Citrus | FloridaCitrus.org

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