Few in the Florida Citrus industry\u00a0can recall a time when Orange Juice wasn\u2019t king.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Joe Davis Sr. lived through it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn 60 years, we saw it grow from a 95 percent fresh fruit business to a 96 percent processed orange business,\u201d Davis said during an interview earlier this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere wasn\u2019t nobody in the juice business\u2026there (wasn\u2019t a)\u00a0juice business around. So we just saw\u00a0this thing completely change,\u201d Davis said. \u201cNot only that, we saw the rootstock change, we saw the variety change. I don\u2019t know how the business in the last 60 years could have been more challenging.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But Davis wouldn\u2019t have had it any other way. From grove owner to real estate baron to chairman of the Florida Citrus Commission, Davis spent a lifetime touching every aspect of the industry and the people inside it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been the foundation for a very good family life to me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The citrus industry titan passed away on\u00a0Wednesday. He was 91 years old.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Serving as a mentor to those in the industry, Davis had a profound affect on the lives of many, including Marty McKenna.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI depended on his past experience and knowledge and just his keen insight of the industry. He just had wonderful gut feelings,\u201d the current FCC Chairman\u00a0said. \u201cThe Florida Citrus industry was part of his daily life schedule for probably 80 years.\u00a0That\u2019s knowledge and experience that is tough to replace.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHe was always devoted to the industry, particularly to the Florida Citrus grower,\u201d McKenna added. \u201cI\u2019ll certainly miss his him and his counsel\u00a0on many things that had to do with the Department of Citrus and the citrus industry.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Davis was a big supporter of the Florida Citrus Commission, which he was part of for a\u00a0total of 16 years between 1979 and 2001, serving as chairman for four seasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHe was a great advocate of the sunshine tree and 100% Florida Orange Juice,\u201d said\u00a0Ben Hill Griffin III, who served with Davis on the Commission.\u00a0\u201cI consider this\u00a0a great loss to the industry. Joe\u2019s knowledge and experience through the years has been valued. He has had an impact in many arenas of the citrus industry.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Florida Department of Citrus Executive Director Doug Ackerman agreed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt is impossible to convey what a huge hole this loss leaves in our industry,\u201d Ackerman said. \u201cMr. Davis made an impact that far exceeded his ability to be physically present in groves, packing houses or boardrooms. So much of what he did \u2013 just by the nature of how he did it, the force of his personality and vision \u2013 built capacity in others. That is why his legacy looms so large. He mentored so many of our industry\u2019s leaders and initiated so many changes to how we do what we do. If you\u2019re in the industry today, you are somehow benefitting from what Joe Davis Sr. did for you over the years. He will be missed, but his memory will live on in the industry he loved.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While serving on the Commission, Davis is credited with helping to increase the FDOC\u2019s emphasis on marketing, creating\u00a0a political action committee to help\u00a0alleviate the strain that land development and the rise of high-tech industry was placing on Florida\u2019s shrinking citrus industry and fighting to establish a \u201c100% Florida\u201d identity to help raise awareness of Florida Citrus, according to the Citrus Hall of Fame, where Davis was inducted in 1999.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even after leaving the Commission, Davis continued to have a profound impact on the activities of the FDOC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Current staff member David Steele recalls an early visit with Davis in Wauchula as helping to shape a newcomer\u2019s view of the industry: \u201cAfter we\u2019d talked a bit about the current state of affairs, Mr. Davis looked at me and said, \u2018We\u2019ve changed rootstock twice before, and we\u2019ll do it again. Nothing can stop Florida citrus.\u2019 Folks who knew him will be able to picture him jabbing his finger at me as he said those words. His intensity was absolutely inspirational. I\u2019ve heard his words in my ears every day since I met him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Born in Hardee County in 1923, Davis knew early on that the citrus industry was his future. By 1976, he had\u00a0accumulated more than 600 acres of Hardee County citrus, states\u00a0his Citrus Hall of Fame bio<\/a>. He became known for his ability to locate the best available land and soil for citrus growing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Davis also\u00a0served on the board and as chairman of Florida Citrus Mutual and later\u00a0opened a packinghouse called Davis Citrus Farms along with his son, Joe Davis Jr., and baseball player Ted Williams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI think Joe is one of our legends of the industry,\u201d said industry fixture Jim Ellis. \u201cHe was such a staunch supporter of the Florida Citrus industry. He had a passion for the industry and when I think of Joe Davis, I think of the citrus industry. He was certainly one of our strongest leaders, commissioners and friends.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n As news of Davis\u2019 passing spread Thursday, thoughts on the citrus industry legend\u00a0streamed in from across the state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cJoe Davis was a larger than life character that provided strong leadership to our industry,\u201d said\u00a0State\u00a0Rep.\u00a0Ben Albritton<\/a>, R-Wauchula, himself a citrus grower. \u201cHe was one of the brightest people I\u2019ve ever met. His impact on FL citrus will be remembered for generations and he will be sorely missed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n From State Sen.\u00a0Denise Grimsley<\/a>, R-Sebring:\u00a0\u201cMr. Davis was part of the foundation of Florida\u2019s Heartland through his contributions to the industry and the community. I will miss the many political discussions we have had. My heart goes out to the family.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Florida\u00a0Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam\u00a0<\/a>said: \u201cJoe Davis Sr. has been an icon of Florida\u2019s citrus industry for more than 60 years as a grower, innovator and leader. His work redefined citrus irrigation, saving valuable water resources, and improved marketing efforts for high-quality Florida citrus. His leadership has had an impact on all of us, an impact that will continue for generations to come.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n