(1) In the exercise of the police power to protect health and welfare and to stabilize and protect the citrus industry of the state.

(2) Because the planting, growing, cultivating, spraying, pruning, and fertilizing of citrus groves and the harvesting, hauling, processing, packing, canning, and concentrating of the citrus crop produced thereon is the major agricultural enterprise of Florida and, together with the sale and distribution of said crop, affects the health, morals, and general economy of a vast number of citizens of the state who are either directly or indirectly dependent thereon for a livelihood, and said business is therefore of vast public interest.

(3) Because it is wise, necessary, and expedient to protect and enhance the quality and reputation of Florida citrus fruit and the canned and concentrated products thereof in domestic and foreign markets.

(4) To provide means whereby producers, packers, canners, and concentrators of citrus fruit and the canned and concentrated products thereof may secure prompt and efficient inspection and classification of grades of citrus fruit and the canned and concentrated products thereof at reasonable costs, it being hereby recognized that the standardization of the citrus fruit industry of Florida by the proper grading and classification of citrus fruit and the canned and concentrated products thereof by prompt and efficient inspection under competent authority is beneficial alike to producer, packer, shipper, canner, concentrator, carrier, receiver, and consumer in that it furnishes them prima facie evidence of the quality and condition of such products and informs the carrier and receiver of the quality of the products carried and received by them and assures the ultimate consumer of the quality of the products purchased.

(5) To enable citrus producers collectively to pay assessments to fund marketing and research programs for the direct benefit of the citrus industry of this state. It is the intent of the Legislature that all funds collected under this chapter and the interest accrued on such funds are consideration for a social contract between the state and the citrus growers of the state whereby the state must hold such funds in trust and inviolate and use them only for the purposes prescribed in this chapter.

(6) To stabilize the Florida citrus industry and to protect the public against fraud, deception, and financial loss through unscrupulous practices and haphazard methods in connection with the processing and marketing of citrus fruit and the canned or concentrated products thereof.

(7) Because said act is designed to promote the general welfare of the Florida citrus industry, which in turn will promote the general welfare and social and political economy of the state.

In the event any word, phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph, or section of this chapter is declared unconstitutional by any court of competent jurisdiction, then such declaration of such unconstitutionality shall not affect the remainder of this chapter, and the unconstitutional portion shall be considered severable, it being the intent of the Legislature that the remainder of this chapter shall continue in full force and effect.

History.—s. 2, ch. 25149, 1949; s. 1, ch. 71-77; s. 1, ch. 97-118.