BARTOW, Fla. \u2013 The Florida Citrus Commission voted Wednesday to hold an informational workshop on the possibility of implementing\u00a0a federal program to market\u00a0orange juice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Known as a Federal Marketing Order or Federal Research and Promotion Program, the initiative would be\u00a0funded by\u00a0a new tax assessed on all domestic and imported orange juice. The initiative would provide funds\u00a0to market the general category of 100% orange juice. Florida\u2019s citrus growers currently pay a tax that supports the Florida Department of Citrus and is focused on 100% Florida Citrus products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The workshop will provide a history of previous studies on the topic\u00a0as well as insights on the process involved in implementing such a program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The workshop will be scheduled for a date in March and will be open to the public.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to Commission Chairman Marty McKenna, \u201cGiven the Commission\u2019s composition and charge, it is very appropriate for us to host this workshop. This is an issue of vital interest to Florida growers, and we are the only public body charged with representing every grower in the state. We will, obviously, welcome and encourage the participation of all interested parties \u2013 either individual growers, grower organizations, processors or other stakeholders. This open and inclusive process will yield the outcome our industry deserves.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
About the Florida\u00a0Citrus Commission<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Florida Citrus Commission is the governing board of the Florida Department of Citrus, an executive agency of the Florida government charged with the marketing, research and regulation of the Florida citrus industry. The commission is a nine-member board appointed by the governor to represent citrus growers, processors and packers. FDOC activities are funded by a tax paid by growers on each box of citrus that moves through commercial channels. The industry employs nearly 62,000 people and\u00a0provides an annual economic impact of nearly $10.7\u00a0billion to the state. For more information about the Florida Department of Citrus, please visit\u00a0<\/em>FloridaCitrus.org<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" BARTOW, Fla. \u2013 The Florida Citrus Commission voted Wednesday to hold an informational workshop on the possibility of implementing\u00a0a federal program to market\u00a0orange juice. Known as a Federal Marketing Order […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","fdoc_news_item_category":[82,80],"fdoc_citrus_type":[108],"fdoc_health_category":[],"class_list":["post-4186","fdoc-news-item","type-fdoc-news-item","status-publish","hentry","fdoc_news_item_category-commissioner-notes","fdoc_news_item_category-fdoc","fdoc_citrus_type-orange-juice"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t