From legacy to innovation: The McKenna family's fight for Florida citrus

McKenna Brothers Citrus is a family affair

McKenna Brothers Citrus has roots in the industry going back 100 years. FOX 13?s Russell Rhodes reports.

LAKE WALES, Fla. - The McKenna family's deep roots in Florida citrus trace back to their great-great-grandfather, a member of the Yeager family who came south for the "American dream." He camped on the shores of a small lake in Lake Wales and began planting his first grove.

Over the generations, the business was passed down, building a reputation for producing some of the world's best oranges.

Morgan McKenna Porter and her cousin Riley McKenna are now continuing this legacy. They watched their fathers and uncles work long hours during the industry's peak, when production was high and the future seemed limitless. 

But a new and devastating challenge emerged: citrus greening, a disease that is now so widespread it's assumed every tree is infected.

The impact has been severe. At its peak, the family business, McKenna Brothers, harvested and marketed over a million boxes of fruit. 

Today, that number is closer to 300,000. This decline has forced the family to re-evaluate how they do business and how they can survive in a new era for Florida's signature crop.

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Local perspective:

For many Floridians, the citrus industry is more than just a source of fruit and juice; it's a part of the state's identity. As Morgan McKenna Porter points out, the citrus industry was once considered the "white picket fence of Florida," a symbol of the Florida dream. But the reality on the ground has changed.

The McKenna cousins are leading the charge to keep that dream alive. They are not just managing the family business; they are actively involved in research and industry leadership, working with organizations to find new solutions to combat citrus greening.

They are testing new research from South Africa and exploring different ways to grow citrus in the face of the disease.

They understand that the future may not be about volume but about quality, positioning Florida citrus as a niche, boutique product for specialty markets.

Riley and Morgan believe that by doing the right things today, they can secure a future for the family business and the industry as a whole.

They want Floridians to be proud of the citrus industry and to understand that every orange they enjoy is the result of immense love, effort, and a constant fight for survival.

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