Crop Shipping Season: Year-round
Fiscal Year: April 1 through March 31
Production Area(s): The production area is the Southern half of Florida, with the order listing the applicable counties.
Order Authority and Regulations
The marketing order authorizes quality regulations, research and promotion programs, as well as markings, pack, and container regulations for avocados grown in Florida. The order took effect in 1954 and was last amended under formal rulemaking on March 9, 1987. View the full regulation.
- Quality Regulations: The marketing order authorizes grade, size, quality, and maturity regulations to maintain Florida avocado quality shipped to consumers. These requirements established also apply to imported avocados thru 8e requirements.
- 8e Requirements: 8e requirements specify that imported commodities must meet the same or comparable minimum grade, size, quality, and maturity requirements, as those specified under this marketing order. Learn about Importing Avocados.
- Research and Promotion: The marketing order authorizes production research, marketing research and development, and marketing promotion programs, including paid advertising. Projects in these areas are currently active.
- Markings, pack, and container regulations: The marketing order authorizes regulations on the markings or labeling, size, capacity, and weight of the containers used to ship avocados to market.
The Avocado Administrative Committee is administered locally by 10 members: 5 growers, 4 handlers, and 1 public member. Each member has one alternate. Membership is also allocated according to district, with District 1 (Dade County) represented by 4 growers and 3 handlers, and District 2 (all the production area except Dade County) by 1 grower and 1 handler. Committee members and alternates serve 1-year terms of office from April 1 to March 31. Members may serve a maximum of three consecutive terms. District 1 and District 2 producer and handler members are currently nominated by mail-in ballots. View a list of members & alternates.
Contacts
Anita Fernandez, Manager; Avocado Administrative Committee
P.O. Box 900188
Homestead, Florida 33090-0188
Phone: (305) 247-0848
FAX: (305) 245-1315
Website: https://popwebserver04.com/sites/avocado/
USDA/AMS Contact
Director, Market Development Division
Specialty Crops Program, Agricultural Marketing Service
Phone: (202) 720-8085