Naples nonprofit formed to help small citrus growers

A new organization has formed in Naples aimed at preserving the state’s citrus industry by providing grants to small growers.

The nonprofit is the Save Florida Citrus Groves Foundation and its goal is to help smaller growers with funding that will “bring abandoned citrus groves back to life and safeguard vital agricultural land from commercial and residential development.”

Adrian Bryce, the foundation’s president and founder, says the hope at this time is to issue grants ranging from $500 to $10,0000. How much will be doled out to growers will depend on donations and the scope of what the grant will be used for, he says.

For now, in its early stages, Bryce says the objective is to draw attention to the foundation in order to bring in donations and begin getting growers to apply for grants on its website.

“The foundation would eventually like to partner with a local credit union or bank that would match grants/donations etc. as a way for them to further impact their local community,” says Bryce, who is based in Miami.

“As the first and only nonprofit to do so, I believe this can be accomplished with the right push.”

The citrus industry, once Florida’s most well-known product, has been in decline for nearly two decades due in part to environmental factors and citrus greening, a disease that affects trees.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, Florida’s citrus production has decreased 90% in the past 20 years, dropping from 300 million boxes in the 2003-2004 season to 20 million boxes in 2023-2024 season.

The agency predicts 12 million boxes of citrus will be produced during this current season.

One recent casualty of the industry’s downturn is Fort Myers-based Alico Inc. which announced last month it was getting out of citrus production after this year’s harvest. The company, one of the biggest producers in the state, says production had dropped 73% in the past decade.

In an earning statement released this month, Alico reported that production in the three months ending Dec. 31 was down 13% to 4 million pounds of solid fruit harvested from 4.7 million pounds a year earlier.

Bryce’s interest in the industry began when he started Bryce Organics, a since sold organic skin care company in 2007. He says all the company’s products were made from fruits, including citrus from Florida, and vegetables.

“From a citrus grove perspective, they are nostalgic and I don’t think people realize how important they are, especially Floridians,” he says. “I believe it’s not being presented to the public in a way to sway public opinion to care more about their state's legacy.”

He says too many people are waiting for the state, which is focused on finding ways to treat or cure greening, to “fix it” when what is needed is a coalition.

The foundation, according to Florida's Division of Corporations database, was incorporated as a nonprofit Feb. 12.

Grant applications are open on Save Florida Citrus Groves Foundation’s website and the organization is also accepting donations.