The Florida Senate

603.204  South Florida Tropical Fruit Plan.--

(1)  The Commissioner of Agriculture, in consultation with the Tropical Fruit Advisory Council, shall, at least 90 days prior to the 1991 legislative session, submit to the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the chairs of appropriate Senate and House of Representatives committees, a South Florida Tropical Fruit Plan, which shall identify problems and constraints of the tropical fruit industry, propose possible solutions to such problems, and develop planning mechanisms for orderly growth of the industry, including:

(a)  Criteria for tropical fruit research, service, and management priorities.

(b)  Additional proposed legislation which may be required.

(c)  Plans relating to other tropical fruit programs and related disciplines in the State University System.

(d)  Potential tropical fruit products in terms of market and needs for development.

(e)  Evaluation of production and fresh fruit policy alternatives, including, but not limited to, setting minimum grades and standards, promotion and advertising, development of production and marketing strategies, and setting minimum standards on types and quality of nursery plants.

(f)  Evaluation of policy alternatives for processed tropical fruit products, including, but not limited to, setting minimum quality standards and development of production and marketing strategies.

(g)  Research and service priorities for further development of the tropical fruit industry.

(h)  Identification of state agencies and public and private institutions concerned with research, education, extension, services, planning, promotion, and marketing functions related to tropical fruit development, and delineation of contributions and responsibilities. The recommendations in the South Florida Tropical Fruit Plan relating to education or research shall be submitted to the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. The recommendations relating to regulation or marketing shall be submitted to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

(i)  Business planning, investment potential, financial risks, and economics of production and utilization.

(2)  A revision and update of the South Florida Tropical Fruit Plan shall be submitted biennially, and a progress report and budget request shall be submitted annually, to the officials specified in subsection (1).

History.--ss. 4, 5, ch. 90-277; s. 45, ch. 91-201; s. 5, ch. 91-429; s. 992, ch. 97-103.