Tropicana Recognizes Top Citrus Growers

By Growing Produce Staff|October 4, 2013

Tropicana Products recently announced its 2012-2013 Growers of the Year. The award is based on fruit quality, load quality, fruit variety mix, and agribusiness management. The management practices component of the award looks at harvesting methods, grove practices, labor programs, and commitment to agricultural sustainability.

The latest round of honorees include:

Lykes Bros. Inc. (Lake Placid)
SMR Farms (Bradenton)
Sun Grown Citrus Inc. (Ft. Meade)
Sunny South Packing Co. (Arcadia)

This is the fifth straight year SMR Farms has been named a Tropicana Grower of the Year. SMR is currently partnering with Tropicana on a multiyear citrus fertilization project aimed at comparing traditional fertilizers with low-carbon-footprint products as part of Tropicana’s noted global sustainability efforts. “It’s a great feeling to see our citrus operations recognized in this way,” said Mac Carraway, SMR Farms president. “In spite of the very real and difficult challenges we face in the citrus industry, our production team continues to do a great job.”