The Florida Citrus Commission will search again next year for a new symbol that will help consumers distinguish Florida citrus products from the pretenders.What that symbol should say and how it will be used remains to be determined.

The commission unanimously approved a recommendation from Jim Griffiths, a Lakeland citrus consultant, to form a committee that will develop a symbol for fresh citrus fruit and juice products to identify their Florida origin. That will assure consumers of the product's healthfulness, purity and safety, Griffiths said.

Commissioner Harry Falk agreed on the need for a symbol, but he argued it should be used on orange juice products, whether made from Florida or Brazilian oranges, to identify them as 100 percent juice.

"I think that's the biggest confusion: Consumers want 100 percent juice, but they don't know how to find it," said Falk, an executive for a Winter Garden grower and packinghouse.

The committee's membership and mission will be determined at the commission's Jan. 18 meeting after consultation with industry organizations, said Dan Gunter, the executive director of the Florida Department of Citrus.

In other business, the commission approved Gunter's proposed 9.7 percent salary increase for Mike Sparks, the department's director of strategic planning and evaluation. Sparks will make an annual salary of $125,000 beginning Jan. 1.

Under Florida law, the commission must approve salary increases for all department employees with an annual salary of more than $100,000. Gunter said he neglected to include Sparks when he recommended pay increases for other employees in that category in June.

By Kevin Bouffard
The Ledger

Source: theLedger