Press Releases

Congressman Scott Franklin today welcomed the final federal rule modernizing the nation's outdated standard of identity for pasteurized orange juice, the culmination of his years long bipartisan effort to update a decades old regulation and support Florida's citrus industry.

The rule lowers the federal minimum Brix standard for pasteurized orange juice from 10.5 percent to 10 percent, bringing federal policy in line with modern growing conditions. It will help Florida citrus growers make greater use of domestically grown fruit, reduce reliance on imported juice, remove an unnecessary regulatory burden and preserve the quality consumers expect from 100 percent orange juice.

"This final rule is a critical victory for Florida citrus and the growers working tirelessly to keep this iconic industry alive," said Congressman Scott Franklin. "For years, our producers have battled citrus greening, hurricanes, freezes and rising production costs while operating under a federal regulation written for a different era. This rule finally brings federal policy in line with today's agricultural realities by cutting unnecessary red tape, helping American growers get more value from the fruit they produce and reducing our reliance on imported orange juice. I'm grateful to Secretary Kennedy, Senator Moody, our Florida delegation and our citrus industry leaders for helping deliver this long overdue win for Florida agriculture."

The finalized rule was announced today in Lakeland by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Senator Ashley Moody, underscoring the importance of Florida's citrus industry and this long awaited regulatory reform.

“President Trump is ending an outdated regulation that forced American orange juice producers to rely on foreign imports and an obsolete sugar standard,” said HHS Secretary Kennedy. “We are cutting red tape, saving the industry more than $50 million each year, strengthening American supply chains, and creating a level playing field for U.S. citrus growers — all while maintaining the safety, quality, and taste Americans expect. That is America First policy, guided by gold-standard science.”

“When I heard an outdated FDA rule was threatening the survival of Florida’s great citrus growers, I immediately went to work—filing the Defending Domestic Orange Juice Production Act and meeting with the White House to expedite a solution. Today is proof that the juice was worth the squeeze.  Florida’s citrus farmers are an integral part of Florida’s culture, and I will always fight to ensure they have the support they need to continue growing and making a living,” said Senator Ashley Moody. “Thank you to everyone who worked so cohesively to make this happen, including Sec. Kennedy, Rep. Franklin, Rep. Lee, Rep. Cammack, and our industry partners. This is a major win for our state.”

The federal Brix standard establishes the minimum level of naturally occurring sugar and soluble solids required for pasteurized orange juice. The previous 10.5 percent standard was established more than 60 years ago, long before citrus greening and repeated natural disasters fundamentally changed growing conditions in Florida. As a result, many healthy, marketable Florida oranges could no longer meet the outdated federal standard despite producing safe, high-quality juice.

Franklin has led congressional efforts to modernize the federal standard for several years after hearing directly from Florida growers and processors about the challenges created by the outdated regulation. He first introduced the bipartisan Defending Domestic Orange Juice Production Act in 2023, with Senator Marco Rubio introducing companion legislation in the Senate. Franklin reintroduced the legislation in 2025 with broad bipartisan support from the Florida congressional delegation, while Senator Ashley Moody led the companion bill in the Senate. He also authored an op-ed in the Tampa Bay Times highlighting the need to modernize the federal standard.

Franklin also advanced the effort through the appropriations process by securing language in the House Appropriations Committee's Fiscal Year 2026 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies funding bill directing the Food and Drug Administration to modernize the federal standard of identity for pasteurized orange juice. The report language directed the agency to complete its review considering the significant challenges facing Florida's citrus industry.

Earlier this year, the Food and Drug Administration proposed updating the federal standard to align with Franklin's legislation. Today's final rule delivers long awaited regulatory relief for Florida citrus growers, strengthens domestic orange juice production and ensures federal policy reflects the realities of modern citrus production.

This final rule reflects what can happen when Congress works directly with growers, processors and industry leaders to remove outdated regulations that no longer serve the people they intend to help.

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