On Point | Podcast The fall of Florida citrus
11 snips
Aug 19, 2025 Wayne Simmons, President of LaBelle Fruit Company and a fifth-generation Floridian, shares his deep-rooted connection to Florida's citrus heritage. Anne Simon, a Professor at the University of Maryland and biotech co-founder, dives into the science battling citrus greening disease. They discuss the dramatic 90% decline in Florida's orange production and its economic implications. Personal stories reveal the emotional toll on growers, while innovative solutions like genetic modifications showcase a glimmer of hope for revitalizing this beloved industry.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Fifth‑Generation Grower Keeps Going
- Wayne Simmons is a fifth-generation Florida grower who runs LaBelle Fruit Company with about 250 acres of oranges mainly for juice production.
- He says his career spanned the boom years into collapse and he's spent his retirement funds to keep the operation running.
Greening Is Widespread And Devastating
- Citrus greening arrived in Florida around 2005 and spread rapidly, devastating groves across the state.
- Wayne estimates nearly all trees planted in Florida have been or will be infected, making recovery extremely difficult.
Irma Accelerated Grove Collapse
- Hurricane Irma (2017) struck Wayne's southwest Florida groves directly and greatly accelerated grove collapse already stressed by greening.
- He describes the storm stress as a turning point in his groves' decline.