TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The State of Florida is putting up $196 million to fortify the future of the citrus industry, with the passage of this upcoming year’s budget.

“Obviously, we’ve seen our production decline precipitously, and we’ve seen acreage start to contract quite a bit, but we’re still an enormous commodity,” said Matt Joyner, CEO of Florida Citrus Mutual, a growers’ association.

Citrus growers across the state are cashing out after facing difficulties like inclement weather or citrus greening year after year.

“Everything you’ve made in the last 40 years is being lost in the next four years so that’s the decision,” said Haines City citrus grower Ed Dickinson.

Dickinson says his farm once stretched around 300 acres. Now he’s working 100 acres, and hoping to cut that number in half soon.

“If you like what you’re doing, it’s not a job,” said Dickinson. “If you don’t like what you’re doing then it’s a job… I guess I’m just too stupid to stop.”

The citrus industry is a $6.9 billion industry for the state, with Florida’s fruits filling about 15% of the nation’s citrus needs.

The largest chunk of the funding is intended for commercial scale testing of technologies and practices that could improve tree health, productivity, and profitability.

“I do not see our industry ever expanding back to what it was,” said Joyner. “I don’t think that’s the ultimate goal for a strong industry.”

Joyner says an increase in Florida’s population has turned over a lot of the state’s farmland, but he says innovation allows farmers to grow more with less.

Dickinson says he’s not convinced, fearing that whatever they discover, it’ll cost him too much to get his hands on it. He says in the past, patents for special formulas or citrus varieties were expensive and sometimes lacked a return on investment.

“It’s a nightmare now but it’s just going to get worse,” said Dickinson. “The next two years will tell the story.”

In the meantime, Dickinson says he’s doing his own field research, testing different varieties and even trying some unique companion planting, and hoping to make a breakthrough.

The budget goes in place July 1.

Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.