\u201cThis overdue reform will reduce our dependence on foreign imports, unleash American agriculture, and save the industry more than $50 million every year, \u201d Kennedy said.<\/p>\n
The rule change would reduce the minimum soluble-solids requirement for pasteurized orange juice from 10.5% \u201cBrix\u201d to 10%. In orange juice, Brix is the scientific unit used to measure the percentage of soluble solids (primarily natural fruit sugars) relative to water.<\/p>\n
What is Brix?<\/p>\n
Brix measures the percentage of dissolved solids in juice, primarily naturally occurring fruit sugars. The FDA is lowering the minimum for pasteurized orange juice from 10.5% to 10%. The change does not permit manufacturers to add more sugar, and officials say consumers are unlikely to notice a meaningful difference in taste or nutrition.<\/p>\n
Officials say the Brix level for Florida oranges has steadily declined over the past few decades due to severe weather and citrus greening (also Huanglongbing or HLB, another disease). That\u2019s made it more challenging for citrus producers to meet that minimum standard.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis commonsense change allows processors to rely more heavily on Florida-grown oranges, instead of being forced to blend with imported juice, simply to satisfy an outdated regulatory requirement,\u201d said Jeb Smith, president of the Florida Farm Bureau.<\/p>\n
The campaign to get the FDA to take action began with a citizen petition<\/a> submitted by the Florida Citrus Processors Association and Florida Citrus Mutual in 2022. A year later, Central Florida GOP U.S. Rep. Scott Franklin and South Florida Democratic U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz introduced the Defending Domestic Orange Juice Production Act, which called for the rule change that went into effect Friday.<\/p>\n That measure was co-sponsored by every member of the Florida congressional delegation. Florida Republican U.S. Sens. Ashley Moody and Rick Scott sponsored the Senate version of the legislation last year and, last August, the FDA formally introduced the rule<\/a> that was finalized Friday.<\/p>\n Officials maintain that the lower Brix threshold is unlikely to affect the taste of orange juice or substantially change its nutritional value.<\/p>\n Florida citrus by the numbersNearly 300 million boxes produced in 2004About 14.5 million boxes produced in 202595% decline over roughly two decades$50 million in estimated annual industry savings12.92 million boxes in the latest orange forecast, up 5.9% from April<\/p>\n Hurricanes, real estate development, and the disease known as citrus greening have contributed to a 95% citrus industry decline in Florida. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Florida farmers produced<\/a> nearly 300 million boxes of citrus in 2004. By 2025, harvests yielded<\/a> about 14.5 million boxes.<\/p>\n Victory lap<\/p>\n Moody, on the ballot for the first time this fall as a senator, took a victory lap of sorts during the press conference.<\/p>\n U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody discusses the FDA\u2019s revised orange juice standard during a July 17, 2026, event in Lakeland. Joining her were Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., left, U.S. Reps. Laurel Lee and Kat Cammack, and Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson. (Photo by Mitch Perry\/Florida Phoenix)<\/p>\n \u201cWhen Gov. DeSantis appointed me to the Senate seat, I said I\u2019m going to go to Washington and fight for this state, and for our industries, and fight for our families, and take a machete to the administrative bureaucracy that is actually working against the prosperity of our families,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Also attending the press conference was Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson and U.S. Reps. Laurel Lee (the event took place in her congressional district) and Kat Cammack.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is the thing that we have needed to do,\u201d said Cammack. \u201cStop importing Brazilian citrus. Put Florida farmers first.\u201d<\/p>\n The July Florida orange production forecast<\/a> released last week rose from 12.2 million boxes estimate in April to 12.92 million in July, a 5.9% increase.<\/p>\n While officials expressed optimistism about the industry\u2019s future, the harsh reality of citrus greening hasn\u2019t gone away, and it has led one of Florida\u2019s largest citrus packinghouses to close its doors.<\/p>\n Riverfont Packing Co. in Indian River County, which has been around for 65 years, is shutting down, TCPalm.com reported<\/a> this week.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s heartbreaking news for me personally,\u201d Dan Richey, the company\u2019s CEO, told WTTB radio last week<\/a>. \u201cOur strategy did not work. The decline in our older trees was much faster than we anticipated. The rapid disease got us quicker than we thought.\u201d<\/p>\n Jay Waagmeester contributed to this report.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n