Award Winner Thanks The Growers
August 19, 2009 
During Florida Citrus Mutual’s Annual Conference in June, Peter McClure was presented the 2009 Florida Grower Citrus Achievement Award to a standing ovation of a room filled with nearly 600 growers and citrus industry representatives. McClure was nominated by several in the industry for his tireless work as chairman of the Florida Citrus Production Research Advisory Council (FCPRAC) to help mount a massive research effort to combat citrus greening and other disease. In fact, much of Mutual’s Annual Conference focused on explaining the new research infrastructure that McClure had a significant role in building.
One Chance
In his remarks accepting the Achievement Award, McClure emphasized the urgency of facing the threat greening poses.
“In the fight against greening and canker, this is unique because we only get one chance,” he said. “If we lose this, we don’t have a game next week. So we have to win, we have to do it right, and we have to be smart about it. Since we’ve found greening, the predictions are unfortunately happening. We see those death curves climbing in the field as we speak.”
Grower Supported
“I’d also like to thank all the growers for supporting the greening research,” McClure added. “It is your dollars, because nobody is bailing us out. Basically, the vast amount of money growers are paying is out of our box tax funds.”
Keith Griffith, speaking on behalf of award sponsor Chemtura Corp., noted: “Since I have worked with him off and on since the 1980s, the word that comes to mind when I think of Peter McClure is leadership. He is a true leader for the citrus industry in Florida, so it is an honor for Chemtura to support this award tonight.”
McClure concluded his remarks by encouraging the growers in the audience.
“This is our industry,” he said. “This is our moment. We are the ones that have to solve this problem, and we have to do it now. We have to be tough and hard, and we have to be fast in this fight. I love this industry, so I am going to battle this thing as hard as I can for as long as I can.”
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