Secretary Kennedy Announces Major Update to 63-Year-Old Orange Juice Regulation

Elected Officials, Citrus Industry Celebrate Lower Brix Minimum for Pasteurized Orange Juice

LAKELAND, FL – On Friday, July 17, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a final rule to amend the outdated Standard of Identity (SOI) for pasteurized orange juice. This announcement delivers a decisive victory for American farmers, safeguards domestic supply chains, and advances the Trump Administration’s America First agenda.

“President Trump is ending an outdated regulation that forced American orange juice producers to rely on foreign imports and an obsolete sugar standard,” said HHS Secretary Kennedy.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.”

Secretary Kennedy made the announcement at Bonnet Springs Park in Lakeland, Florida joined by Acting FDA Commissioner Kyle Diamantas, Senator Ashley Moody, Representative Laurel Lee (FL-15), Representative Kat Cammack (FL-03), and Congressman Scott Franklin’s (FL-18) wife, Amy, and members of his staff.

“Today's action proves the FDA is fully committed to putting American workers and American growers first, completely dismantling the regulatory barriers that have forced our markets to depend on foreign citrus imports,” said Acting FDA Commissioner Diamantas. “By modernizing outdated regulations, the FDA is eliminating unnecessary barriers so American farmers and manufacturers can thrive — and keeping citrus production where it belongs, right here at home.”

Established in 1963, the original SOI for pasteurized orange juice mandated a minimum Brix level (a measure of dissolved sugar content) of 10.5°. In recent decades, natural causes have put unprecedented pressure on Florida’s historic orange groves, causing natural Brix levels to decline in Florida oranges. Despite Florida citrus growers having high-quality fruit, American orange juice companies have had to import high-sugar oranges from foreign competitors to meet the rigid Brix minimum, hurting the U.S. economy, driving up prices, and keeping the dissolved sugar content high in American orange juice.

Now, the Trump Administration is cutting red tape and lowering the minimum Brix level from 10.5 degrees to 10 degrees and permitting up to 15% Citrus reticulata (mandarin/tangerine) juice or hybrid juice by volume. This long-overdue change will stop our reliance on imports and unleash American agriculture.

Senator Moody and Reps. Lee, Cammack, and Franklin have been strong advocates of this rule change and advocated similar legislation to protect American citrus growers and U.S. customers.

“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 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.”

“This final rule is a critical victory for Florida citrus and the growers working tirelessly to keep this iconic industry alive,” said Congressman 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.”

“When Congressman Scott Franklin and I first started working on this issue, Florida growers kept asking us one simple question: Why are we being forced to blend imported juice into a product made from perfectly good Florida oranges? The answer was an outdated Washington regulation that had not kept pace with citrus greening, hurricanes, freezes, and the realities in Florida’s groves,” said Congresswoman Cammack. “For years, we have worked with Florida Citrus Mutual, the Florida Citrus Processors Association, the Florida Farm Bureau, FDA, and our colleagues in Congress to fix it. We introduced legislation, took the case directly to the agency, and kept pushing until Washington listened. I’m grateful to Secretary Kennedy and Acting Commissioner Diamantas for delivering a commonsense, science-based solution. Now, more Florida oranges can go into Florida orange juice, and one of our state’s proudest industries has a stronger path forward.”

“Secretary Kennedy understands that supporting American agriculture and promoting access to wholesome, American-grown foods go hand in hand,” said Representative Lee. “The FDA’s proposed update to the Brix standard preserves the quality consumers expect while creating new opportunities for Florida’s citrus growers. I appreciate his leadership and look forward to continuing our work together to strengthen American agriculture and reduce unnecessary barriers for our producers.”

Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson, Executive Director of the Florida Department of Citrus Shannon Shepp, and CEO of Bonnet Springs Park Josh Henderson attended the event as well. Representatives of Florida’s citrus industry were also in attendance, including the Florida Farm Bureau, Florida Citrus Mutual, and the Florida Citrus Processors Association.

The issuance of this final rule highlights the Trump Administration’s broader effort to review more than 250 SOIs for various foods, working to ensure the agency’s rules are science-based, relevant, and responsive to today’s food supply and consumer needs.

Today’s FDA actions are a win for American citrus growers, workers, and consumers.