Rep. Laurel Lee Supports Bipartisan Legislation To Help Florida Citrus Industry

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Laurel Lee (FL-15) announced her support for the bipartisan Defending Domestic Orange Juice Production Act, which aims to update regulations and support Florida citrus growers. The measure is cosponsored by the entire Florida Delegation.

“In recent years, Florida citrus growers have faced a multitude of challenges that threaten the sustainability and profitability of the industry, including the relentless scourge of the citrus greening disease and extreme weather events, such as hurricanes and droughts. With the increasing importation of foreign orange juice, which often undercuts our domestic producers, we must take decisive action to uphold the integrity and quality of American-made orange juice,” said Rep. Laurel Lee. “The Defending Domestic Orange Juice Production Act will change the Brix standard set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to allow orange growers to continue to produce the loved Florida orange juice without making sacrifices that will affect the quality and taste.”

Specifically, this bill would direct the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to alter the Brix standard (required level of sugar/solids content) in not-from-concentrate pasteurized orange juice from 10.5 percent to 10 percent. 

Currently, oranges below the 10.5 percent Brix standard cannot be used for not-from-concentrate pasteurized orange juice.  The crop must be used for concentrate or other products, which are sold at a lower rate. Fine-tuning the requirement will better reflect the natural makeup of today’s crop, which has been affected by disastrous major hurricane seasons, greening and other adverse factors. This adjustment would not make a discernible difference in taste or nutritional value. It would, however, increase flexibility for the citrus industry and reduce our reliance on foreign fruit to meet consumer demand.

In 2022, the Florida Citrus Processors Association and Florida Citrus Mutual filed a citizen petition requesting the FDA revise its Brix requirements for pasteurized orange juice. 

In 2023, Reps. Franklin and Wasserman Schultz first introduced their Defending the Domestic Orange Juice Production Act with the support of the entire Florida Delegation.  The bill was the subject of an Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee hearing last September, where Florida lawmakers further urged the FDA to move quickly to help alleviate the burden on citrus growers.