TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida orange groves are dealing with the most serious bacteria disease in state history.
Citrus greening is a disease first spotted seven years ago that has affected nearly 10 percent of the orange production in the state.
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According to Erin Gillepsie, of the Department of Agriculture, the disease causes the orange to drop early, essentially making it useless. That will eventually drive the price up on orange juice at the grocery store.
"The orange crops go up and down every year," Gillepsie said. "Again, this is the lowest year we've had without a hurricane or a freeze. The crops go up and down. The prices haven't changed too much. If we continue to lose the orange crop, of course the price of orange juice will go up."
The state has received funding to fight the bacteria disease.