In 2003, the mighty Florida orange industry produced 242 million boxes of fruit, with 90 pounds of oranges per box, most of which went on to become orange juice. Now, not even 25 years later, the United States Department of Agriculture was forecasting a pitiful 12 million boxes of oranges, the least in more than 100 years, the worst year since last. A decline of more than 95 percent.
I got to the point where slate cuts it off to subscribe.
The gist:
oranges originally came from China via the conquistadors.
there’s a greening bacteria that probably came from a tiny bug which also originates from China. - the bug was transported throughout the state by hurricanes
The bacteria takes years for it present itself within the tree. By the time you notice, the tree is already in its death throes.
there is no current cure, thought they’re working on it. Will likely be many years before the can confirm a real fix
most orange juice no longer comes from Florida, the US is a major consumer of the stuff, kind of a novelty elsewhere. We started drinking it because of its vitamin c richness as distributed in rations during ww2.
more resistant hybrids are a solution, but author says hybrid juice tastes terrible.
Growers may be moving to other crops in the interim.
the US is a major consumer of the stuff, kind of a novelty elsewhere
You can get 10 different brands of orange juice in a German supermarket, but the biggest family pack would be a litre, not a gallon. When I was a kid fruit juice was still marketed as healthy, so we drank a lot. But even then, our family of 5 would never have been able to drink 3.7 litres of juice before it would get bad.
It's Florida. I choose to not set a foot there because the first thing that greets you is a 40 fucking foot sign reminding you not to get drunk and rape your daughter.
19 Comments
fireweed@lemmy.world · 35 pts · 106d
I'd heard things were bad but yikes
actionjbone@sh.itjust.works · 12 pts · 106d
I read about half the article before I couldn't read anymore.
It's even worse than that intro paragraph makes it seem.
wildncrazyguy138@fedia.io · 16 pts · 106d
I got to the point where slate cuts it off to subscribe.
The gist:
merde@sh.itjust.works · 7 pts · 106d
broccoli juice for vitamin c, yay :/
brotundspiele@sh.itjust.works · 2 pts · 105d
You can get 10 different brands of orange juice in a German supermarket, but the biggest family pack would be a litre, not a gallon. When I was a kid fruit juice was still marketed as healthy, so we drank a lot. But even then, our family of 5 would never have been able to drink 3.7 litres of juice before it would get bad.
Duamerthrax@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 104d
Orange juice doesn't taste like orange juice anyway. It loses its flavor in storage and they all add flavors.
ThomasWilliams@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 106d
Citrus greening disease.
Citrus doesn't really grow that well in tropical regions as they are susceptible to moulds and insect infestation in the bark.
ToastedRavioli@midwest.social · 15 pts · 106d
Its Florida, so Im going to assume they think the oranges wont grow because gay people exist
a_non_monotonic_function@lemmy.world · 15 pts · 106d
It's Florida. I choose to not set a foot there because the first thing that greets you is a 40 fucking foot sign reminding you not to get drunk and rape your daughter.
Individual_Orchid@sh.itjust.works · 5 pts · 106d
Seriously?
a_non_monotonic_function@lemmy.world · 23 pts · 106d
It has been many years for me, so this may not be the original.
For all I know it's just one of many spread throughout Florida. Because Florida.
Individual_Orchid@sh.itjust.works · 12 pts · 106d
Thank you for the WTF pic..
WTF.
a_non_monotonic_function@lemmy.world · 7 pts · 106d
This is how I perceive Florida. I hope it spreads. What a shithole.
FireXtol@piefed.social · -5 pts · 106d
What an idiotic, projectionist position. You've never even been here. The shithole you know is the shithole near you.
a_non_monotonic_function@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 105d
Dude, enjoy your meth and 80 year olds on scooters.
See also the sign I posted.
merde@sh.itjust.works · 6 pts · 106d
they need to make another sign for geaphic designers in Florida about inexcusable typographical choices
nkat2112@sh.itjust.works · 4 pts · 106d
I can't believe this.
a_non_monotonic_function@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 106d
Right in the GA border. Has been for, what, feels like a decade or more?
FireXtol@piefed.social · 3 pts · 106d
Yeah but if you go another mile down the road you'll see the sign against abortion.