EU fine with Florida citrus
Although the U.S. Department of Agriculture has imposed restrictions on shipping Florida citrus fruits to other citrus-producing states, the European Union said Wednesday it would only require certification that fruit shipments are free of citrus canker infections, according to a report in the Palm Beach Post.
“We have had a long relationship of trust with Florida,” said Wolf Maier, an EU counselor for Food Safety Health and Consumer Affairs in Washington, D.C. “We have no reason to doubt the guarantees provided.'
The report said industry officials in Florida see Europe as an important market.
“The EU is our second most important market after Japan,” said Doug Bournique, executive director of the Indian River Citrus League in Vero Beach. “We have a lot of European people who have invested in (Indian River) fruit. It is vitally important for growers to have this market.'
