Florida orange juice could be tariffs’ most iconic casualty

PRESIDENT Donald Trump’s trade war with Canada is on hold for now but, if it resumes, it could deliver a fatal blow to one iconic American industry: Florida orange juice.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urged Canadians to forgo “Florida orange juice altogether” as he slapped a (now-paused) 25 per cent tariff on American exports from “red states”. It’s a potent threat: 30 per cent of all Florida fruit juice is exported to Canada.

And the industry is in trouble already. Although oranges are the iconic symbol of the Sunshine State, pure Florida orange juice is almost extinct. For 30 years, the industry has been ravaged by disease and hurricanes, and citrus production has been on a steep decline. Orange juice is still being bottled in Florida under brand names like Tropicana, Simply Orange and Florida’s Natural, but these products rely on imported juices sourced from Brazil and Mexico to mix with the Florida-grown stock.