It's been learned that dozens of jobs could be leaving the Treasure Coast.
Tropicana has contacted St. Lucie County to tell them that juicing operations at its plant in Fort Pierce will be moved to the company's Bradenton plant.
According to the St. Lucie County Economic Development Council, 258 people work at the Fort Pierce plant.
Tropicana says it will remain open, but will not be processing fruit in Fort Pierce for the 2023 season and there is a small portion of the company's full time team who will be impacted. The company says they are offering those employees support in finding other work, whether within existing operations locally or elsewhere.
Storage, packaging and distribution will still be done in Fort Pierce.
Florida's citrus industry has struggled in recent years with the final forecast for the 2021-22 growing season showing about 41 million boxes of oranges. That marks the lowest production levels in Florida since the late 1930s.