Florida's citrus industry continues to struggle as production numbers are expected to decrease. Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture dropped its Florida orange forecast by more than 7 percent from the March update, dropping numbers to the lowest they’ve been since before World War II.
Mixon’s Fruit Farms in Bradenton has been producing and selling citrus for more than 80 years. But owner Dean Mixon says in the last 20 years, diseases like “citrus greening” have wiped out nearly 95 percent of the farm's orange crop. He says citrus farmers across the state are facing the same problem.
"If they could find a cure, a true cure for the greening, maybe it could bounce back, but it's gone so far now that growers are being forced to sell their property and get out of the business," said Mixon.
Mixon’s continues to produce some citrus and has started planting bamboo as well as using their property for weddings and events to try and make up for some of the loss in citrus sales.
For more information on events at or visiting Mixon's Fruit Farms, click here.
This story was originally published by Wendi Lane of WFTS in Tampa Bay, Florida.
