First off, I hope everyone has hit the ground running in 2021, and may the new year put 2020 and all of its ups and downs behind us. The COVID-19 virus, the elections, the subsequent aftermath, and a tough growing season for citrus in Florida all came together to produce a year of turbulence.
I pray we get some stability back so Florida growers can focus on what they do best — produce the best citrus in the world. And make no mistake — I, the staff, and the board of directors at Florida Citrus Mutual (FCM) believe in Florida citrus. There is no alternative. After the tumultuous past decade, we are in it for the long haul. There is no way we could abandon more than a century of history and multi-generational families.
FCM plans to do its part to push the well-being of growers forward. In this changing environment, FCM’s primary role continues to be communicating the importance of Florida citrus to elected officials, regulators, the media, and the general public. These folks need to know about the Florida communities, businesses, and families that rely on our crop.
At the core of this mission is working with all decision makers no matter party affiliation or geographic location. We seek to educate Republicans, Democrats, and Independents across Florida and the U.S. on why citrus matters and why they should set policy accordingly. FCM is well positioned to do just that.
In Tallahassee we’ve developed strong connections with legislators in both the House and the Senate, including (House) Deputy Whip Chuck Clemons and Appropriations Vice Chair Lawrence McClure, among others. In the Senate, citrus stalwarts such as Senate President Wilton Simpson and Ag Appropriations Chairman Ben Albritton have more than a passing understanding of our issues. It helps that both of them are citrus growers.
Our 2021 State Citrus Agenda is aggressive as we seek significant research and marketing dollars however, I remain cautiously optimistic with the support our industry garners we can pull it off. We have already laid the groundwork and our momentum heading toward the 2021 session in March is gaining steam. They know we believe in Florida citrus and they do too.
Just a few hundred miles north in Washington, DC, massive change is taking place. The Democratic Party now controls the executive branch as well as the Congress.
Plus, all committees are chaired and controlled by Democrats. This could be troubling if FCM was a one-party organization, but through hard work and relationship building, Mutual has open lines of communication with influential lawmakers on both sides of the aisle including Reps. Kathy Castor, Al Lawson, Darren Soto, and, of course, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a powerful member of the Appropriations Committee. And don’t forget dedicated GOP (Grand Old Party) industry supporters such as Greg Steube, Vern Buchanan, Bill Posey, and Mario Diaz-Balart just to name a few. They know we believe in Florida citrus, and they do too.
Even more encouraging is the fact U.S. Agriculture Secretary designate Tom Vilsack is a good friend of the Florida citrus industry. Vilsack, who is serving a second stint in that position, played a big role in delivering canker compensation a decade ago, even visiting Mutual’s headquarters to stage a national press conference. In addition, Vilsack was instrumental in pushing through $125 million in Farm Bill citrus research funding as well as CHRP (Citrus Health Response Program) and MAC (Multi-Agency Coordination) dollars. He will be very helpful as these critical programs come up for discussion again.
Vilsack is a true ally, and the good news is that I still have him on my cell phone! FCM expects to hit the ground running with the Secretary and his staff in short order.
In times of change, there is opportunity. FCM has worked hard over the years to develop relationships regardless of political philosophy. We understand administrations evolve and leadership changes. Have no doubt, whomever is in charge, your organization will continue to do what is right for Florida citrus growers. We believe!