Originally published: June 12, 2025
Orange juice is Florida’s official beverage. But you probably didn’t need us to tell you that.
Ever since the Spanish introduced citrus to Florida in the late 15th century, orange juice has been synonymous with the Sunshine State. In fact, nearly all of Florida’s orange crop is used for juice.
But how much OJ are people actually drinking these days? And how can growers combat citrus greening—a disease that destroys the fruit?
For answers, we turned to Celéste Walls, spokeswoman for the Bartow-based Florida Department of Citrus. In this conversation, Celéste explains the role of Florida orange juice in American history, gives an update on the current state of Florida’s orange juice industry and suggests ways to cook with the Sunshine State’s favorite drink.
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