Highlands County Citrus Growers Association (HCCGA) Executive Director Ray Royce recently discussed grower concerns about Florida’s Best Management Practices program, run by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS).
Royce claims that growers are concerned about the BMP implementation, verification audits, some of the information they’ve been asked for by the FDACS staff and what may be in the next version of a statewide citrus BMP.
Royce said FDACS is charged with reviewing and perhaps updating all BMPs, including citrus. “And those of us that are on the working group … are a little concerned about some of the proposed language changes … Obviously a big concern across the water-quality spectrum is the impact that phosphorus can potentially have” on Lake Okeechobee and estuaries into which it discharges..
