Provided by Florida Citrus Mutual
For more than a century, Florida’s citrus industry has stood as a pillar of the Sunshine State’s heritage, nurtured through generations of hardworking families. Among these Centennial Citrus Growers stands the Hunt Family, owners of Hunt Bros. Cooperative in Lake Wales. With a legacy spanning more than 100 years full of grit, ingenuity and unwavering commitment, the Hunt Family is one of many helping drive Florida’s citrus industry forward.
In this edition of “5 Questions With a Florida Citrus Grower,” Daniel Hunt – president of Hunt Bros. Cooperative and part of the fourth generation of Hunt men to manage the family’s citrus operation – reflects with pride on his family’s legacy and looks ahead with determination to nurture and grow Florida’s citrus industry.
1. How did your family get involved in the citrus industry?
A. My family’s involvement in the citrus industry goes all the way back to 1922, when my great-grandfather moved down to Florida from Ohio. He studied citrus at the University of Florida. Eventually, he and his brother started a citrus grove-care company, hence the Hunt Brothers name.
A few years later, in 1928, they opened the packinghouse. Shortly before packing their very first carton of citrus, a hurricane blew the roof off the building. But they didn’t let that stop them – they moved forward anyway. That’s the resilience Hunt Bros. Cooperative would need to carry on through the decades. Citrus is in my blood.
2. What are some challenges Florida’s citrus industry has faced over the years and worked to overcome?
A. Through the years, we have navigated quite a few hurdles. The freezes, especially a devastating one in 1989, had a profound impact on Hunt Bros. It wiped out much of our groves in Polk County. Fortunately, before that year, my grandfather, father and uncles had begun planting new trees in southwest Florida. Though those trees were still young, thankfully they were less affected. That foresight helped us recover, even though replanting in Polk County took years.
Hurricanes are a looming threat, coming through with force and leaving damaged groves, flooded fields and disrupted harvests in their wake. It’s something every grower keeps in the back of their mind when planning ahead.
Through the years, beyond weather, economic challenges have taken their toll. Oversupply and cheap prices have strained operations. All these pressures demand resilience and adaptation. It’s a challenge, but through collective action, we can persevere.
3. What is your why for working in Florida’s citrus industry all these years?
A. What I have enjoyed most about this business is working with family and the folks in the industry. Even among competitors, there’s a friendly respect. The challenges we face today with citrus greening have certainly brought us together and created a real sense of community.
This industry is tough and it’s full of curveballs, but the challenges can be fun too. We’re going to beat citrus greening. There’s something exciting about working toward that goal — learning, adapting and pushing through together.
4. How have the advancements in technology, especially with citrus greening, impacted the way citrus groves are managed compared to, say, a hundred years ago?
A. Compared to a hundred years ago, we’ve come a long way. Back then, grove care was basic with lower planting densities, simple irrigation and fewer tools to combat disease. In its early years, Hunt Bros even relied on teams of mules to pull equipment through the groves, making the arrival of four-wheel drive a major breakthrough. Today, we’re facilitating higher-density plantings, which means we can produce more citrus on less acreage, but it also requires a whole new level of attention and strategy.
Microjet irrigation was a game-changer – not just for better water stewardship, but also for freeze protection. It’s made a real difference in helping trees survive cold snaps that would’ve been devastating decades ago.
More recently, we’ve started exploring the direct systemic application of antimicrobials as a promising tool to fight the impacts of citrus greening. Combined with advancements in plant genetics, it gives me hope. Because greening affects nearly all commercially viable citrus varieties, progress on genetic solutions has been difficult. Yet there is real momentum in research, and some of it is already being deployed through field trials and even on a small scale in commercial groves.
5. Why is it important to continue championing Florida’s citrus industry?
A. Floridians care deeply about the identity and the economic impact of citrus on the Sunshine State. It’s our history and those of us in the industry are working hard to preserve its future. Sometimes, I even hear from folks who’ve never stepped foot in a grove who are appreciative of what it brings. It’s a point of pride.
Citrus has shaped the way people feel about our state and it’s a crucial industry for the Sunshine State’s rural communities. Ours is one of the best places in the world to grow citrus. By continuing to work with our industry partners and state and federal leaders, we can rebuild a bright future for Florida citrus.
This feature is part of Florida Citrus Mutual’s Centennial Citrus Growers series, which recognizes multigenerational families who continue to shape the future of Florida citrus.