Florida Citrus: A Story of Resilience, Ruin, and Revival — Presented by the Pioneer Florida Museum & Village

The Pioneer Florida Museum & Village is proud to host acclaimed author and journalist Dr. David E. Sumner for a compelling lecture and book signing on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, featuring his latest work: There will be some books available for purchase. “The Rise, Fall, and Future of Florida’s Citrus Industry" Did you know that at one point in the 1950s, Pasco processed 10 percent of all Florida citrus and there were 500 trucks daily coming to Pasco full of fruit, according to the Tampa Tribune? The story of Florida’s citrus industry has followed an up-and-down path of battling freezes, diseases, and hurricanes for 150 years. After an 1895 freeze almost destroyed the industry, Florida growers fought back and replanted. After surviving the Great Depression and World War II, Florida growers experienced their “Golden Era” from 1950-1980. Seven freezes in the 1980s again devastated the industry, but growers fought back and replanted. Since then, the citrus canker and citrus greening diseases have destroyed thousands of acres, and growers are still recovering. David E. Sumner tells the story of Florida citrus from the end of the Civil War to the present after visiting Florida archives and conducting 53 interviews with growers and industry leaders. Not since John McPhee’s 1967 best-seller, Oranges, has any book told the story of Florida citrus in a lively, popular style that will appeal to readers inside and outside the industry. New scientific breakthroughs for a disease-resistant tree are explained in chapter 14 and offer signs of hope for the future of the industry. Dr. Sumner will also be a keynote speaker at the Florida Citrus Annual Conference in Bonita Springs on June 12. A Dade City native, he is a 5th-generation Floridian who grew up in a citrus family that dates back to the 1880s. He is professor emeritus of journalism at Ball State University, where he taught feature and magazine writing for 25 years. He is the author of 11 books including a best-selling feature and magazine writing textbook. He graduated from Stetson University and the University of Tennessee where he earned a PhD. Matt Joyner, Executive Vice President at Florida Citrus Mutual, says, “The story of the people and events that shaped the Florida citrus industry is in many ways the story of Florida itself. In Rise, Fall, and Future of Florida’s Citrus Industry, David E. Sumner has captured the essence of an iconic industry that has been part of the fabric of Florida since statehood and will continue to define the Sunshine State for decades to come. It is a must read for anyone interested in understanding the real Florida.” “The Rise, Fall, and Future of Florida’s Citrus Industry" is a testament to the industry’s ability to survive challenges that at the time seemed insurmountable. This book gives us hope.” J. Scott Angle, Senior Vice President for Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Florida On sale May 1 exclusively at BarnesandNoble.com (bn.com) for $14.95 paperback or $24.95 hardback. This 327-page book includes historic citrus photos dating back to the late 1800s.