(1) “Department” means the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

(2) “Person” means an individual, partnership, corporation, association, business trust, legal representative, or any organized group of individuals.

(3) “Citrus fruit” or “fruit” means and includes grapefruit, oranges, tangerines, Temples, tangelos, and murcott honey oranges grown in Florida as defined in and by s. 601.03, and when regulated by the Florida Citrus Commission of the Department of Citrus, all other citrus fruit grown in Florida, including lemons, sour oranges, limes, and citrus hybrids.

(4) “Variety” or “varieties” means any one or all of the following classifications or groupings of citrus fruit:

(a) Early and mid-season oranges, including Temple oranges, navel types, and other varieties commonly called “round oranges,” except Valencias, Lue Gim Gongs, and similar late maturing oranges of the Valencia type;

(b) Valencias, late Valencias, Lue Gim Gongs, and similar late maturing oranges of the Valencia type;

(c) Marsh and other seedless grapefruit, including pinks and reds;

(d) Duncan and other seeded grapefruit, including pinks and reds;

(e) Tangerines;

(f) Tangelos;

(g) Persian, Key, and Tahiti limes;

(h) Murcott honey oranges; and

(i) Lemons.

(5) “Producer” means any person growing or producing citrus fruit within this state for market.

(6) “Handler” means any person engaged within this state as a distributor in the business of handling and distributing citrus fruit in fresh fruit form in the primary channel of trade, whether such citrus fruit be purchased from the producer thereof or handled for her or his account.

(7) “Distributor” means any person who engages in the operation of packing, selling, marketing, handling, and distributing, in the primary channel of trade, citrus fruit in fresh fruit form in commercial quantities (other than express or gift fruit shippers) which she or he has produced, or purchased or acquired from a producer, or which she or he is marketing on behalf of a producer, but shall include only such persons who own and operate or have available to them facilities for packing the fresh citrus fruit handled by them; provided however, that any common marketing agency handling the sales of fresh citrus fruit for the account of any of such persons who do not maintain their own sales force or organization shall be deemed a distributor as herein defined.

(8) “Marketing agreement” means an agreement entered into, pursuant to the provisions of this act, by and between the department and handlers and distributors engaged in the handling and distributing of citrus fruit in fresh fruit form regulating the handling of such citrus fruit.

(9) “To handle” means to engage in the business of handler and distributor as herein defined.

(10) “To distribute” means to engage in the business of a distributor as herein defined.

(11) “Standard-packed box” has the same meaning as provided in s. 601.03.

(12) “Shipping season” means that period of time beginning August 1 of one year and ending July 31 of the following year.

(13) Whenever and wherever the context so admits any word or term used in this act which is not herein specifically defined shall have the meaning given by the laws of Florida.

History.—s. 3, ch. 61-88; ss. 14, 29, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 255, ch. 71-377; s. 54, ch. 91-220; s. 966, ch. 97-103; s. 3, ch. 2012-182.