Citrus-Related Programs Survive Florida’s 2016-2017 Budget Ax

Florida Gov. Rick Scott has announced his planned action on the 2016-2017 Florida First budget. The budget has been finalized and will be officially signed into law upon delivery to Scott.

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Among the line items is a silver lining for the state’s citrus industry. All of the sector’s major initiatives survived the veto process.

Citrus-Related Appropriations Include:

  • Citrus Research and Development Foundation: $8 million.
  • Citrus Crop Decline Supplemental Funding: $2 million (These dollars will supplement revenue lost from the citrus inspection trust fund due to HLB).
  • Citrus Health Response Program: $7,693,329
  • Supplement for CHMA and Multi-Agency Coordination: $4,500,000
  • Citrus Budwood Facility: $510,000
  • Florida Southern Greenhouse: $750,000

Department of Citrus

  • New Varieties Program: $650,000
  • Florida Department of Citrus marketing activities: $7 million

In addition to the appropriations, there are a couple of general policy measures that were approved:

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  • A sales tax exemption for fresh fruit and vegetable packinghouses on equipment purchased, repairs to existing equipment, and labor. The House bill has passed and the Senate has included this provision in their tax cut package.
  • Special assessments on agriculture land prohibits counties and municipalities from levying or collecting special assessments on agriculture lands for fire protection services.  This exemption also applies to pole barns but does not include residential dwellings or nonresidential farm buildings. Both the House and Senate bills have passed their respective committees of reference and are ready for floor votes.
  • A proposal has been approved in both the House and the Senate that provides groves taken out of production due to disease retain their agriculture assessment for a period of five years at a de minimis value of no more than $50 per acre.

“It’s nice to know we have a group of legislators and leaders at the state level who understand the challenges we face as well as our importance to Florida,” said Mike Sparks, Executive VP/CEO of Florida Citrus Mutual, in a statement to the association’s members.

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