While it will never be the same, can Florida save its orange groves before it’s too late?
Fla. News Network — Florida’s orange groves – once sprawling across over 800,000 acres of the Sunshine State – have become increasingly rare sights on the landscape. Picture this: endless rows of lush, green orange trees, their branches heavy with fruit, stretching toward a cloudless Florida sky. For generations, this image defined the Sunshine State as a symbol of its identity and a cornerstone of its economy. But today, many of these groves stand eerily empty, their skeletal trees a haunting reminder of a crisis unfolding in real-time. Florida’s citrus industry, once the envy of the world, is fighting for survival. So what’s killing the orange groves—and is there any hope left?
“Florida without orange groves would be like Idaho without potatoes”
To understand the significance of orange groves in Florida, it’s essential to look at the state’s history with citrus cultivation. Orange groves have been an integral part of Florida’s landscape since the 16th century when Spanish settlers first introduced citrus trees to the region. Over time, the industry grew, and by the early 20th century, Florida had become the second-largest producer of oranges in the world. However, today, Florida’s orange production has fallen 92% in the last 20 years. …