Date Set For Final Hearing On Florida Peach Marketing Order

Growing peaches in Florida has seen a significant planting increase in recent years. For that reason, a number of growers are seeking to establish a statewide marketing order to fund Florida peach promotion, research, and education.

A number of hearings have been hosted around the state and the final one is scheduled for Nov. 12, at the Polk County Extension Office in Bartow. The proposed marketing order will be shared with attendees of the meeting and a discussion of the program’s implementation and potential impact will be held.

After the hearings are complete, if 10% of Florida peach growers believe the marketing order will achieve its goals, Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam will call for a vote among producers. If the order passes, an advisory council will appointed to make recommendations to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumers Services on how the program should run and how production assessments will be spent.