• Facebook
  • Youtube
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Flickr
  • Slideshare
  • Rss
  • Donate
  • Subscribe
SBDC Tampa Bay
  • Home
  • Solutions
    • Certifications
      • Business Certifications
      • Minority-Owned Business
      • Woman-Owned Business
      • Veteran-Owned Business
    • Consulting & Training
      • Training
      • Training Calendar
      • Consulting
      • Schedule a Consultant
    • Business Solutions
      • Growth Acceleration
      • Government Contracting
      • International Trade
      • Starting Your Business
      • Disaster Preparedness
      • Student Teams
      • Organizational Development
  • Resources
    • Business Resources
    • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Insights
    • Blog
    • Media Inquiries
  • About Us
    • Mission / Vision
    • Consultants
    • Meet the Staff
    • Meet Our Clients
    • Partners / Affiliates
  • Training
    • On-Demand Seminars
    • Tampa Training
    • USF CONNECT Training
    • Highlands, Hardee, DeSoto Counties Training
    • Polk County Training
    • Pasco County Training
    • Pinellas County Training
    • Sarasota & Manatee Counties Training
    • Hernando County Training
    • Hillsborough County Training
  • Results
    • Success Stories
    • Economic Impact
  • Locations
    • Tampa
    • Hillsborough
    • Hernando County
    • Pinellas County
    • Highlands, Hardee, DeSoto
    • Polk County
    • Manatee
    • Sarasota
  • Contact
  • Schedule a Consultant
  • Search
  • Menu Menu
Blog

Bridge Loan Helps Arcadia-based Citrus Grower Through the Squeeze

Success Stories

Joshua Citrus, Inc. of DeSoto County

Bridge Loan Helps Arcadia-based Citrus Grower Through the SqueezeIn 1880 James Shelfer moved his family to Florida, settling in Joshua Creek near Arcadia. He planted his first orange tree soon thereafter and the rest is history. A little more than 100 years later, Joshua Citrus, Inc. was born and began shipping the fresh Florida citrus that the family had been growing for generations.

Joshua Citrus has approximately 120 acres of citrus groves and a retail operation. They also have gift fruit shipping.

As September approached, owners Kevin and Lynn Shelfer were preparing to pick the first fruit of the season, only to be derailed by Hurricane Irma as she swept through the state of Florida. In some cases, 100 percent of the crop was damaged.

The Shelfers then found the State of Florida Emergency Bridge Loan Program, through multiple emails from local industry groups. They applied and worked closely with the Florida SBDC at University of South Florida’s South Florida State College office in Avon Park.

When asked about their experience with the storm and the assistance received, they recalled:

What type of damage occurred?
Around here we probably lost 50 percent in some crops, 30 percent in others. At our orange groves we lost 100 percent of the navels and 100 percent of the grapefruit. It wasn’t 100 percent on the ground but everything left on the trees is banged up and there’s not enough there to go through and pick.

How will the Bridge Loan help?
It helps us right now because we didn’t have any money. The fruit we lost out there is the first fruit we normally start picking so we had no income right away off of that fruit. It helps us get the ball rolling this year and get caught up on bills.

How was the Florida SBDC at USF helpful during this process?
We heard about it through a couple of industry contacts. The process was honestly very smooth and the documentation as something that I could get my fingers on very easily.

November 22, 2017/by admin
Share this entry
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share by Mail
https://sbdctampabay.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Joshua-Citrus-Pic.jpg 902 768 admin /wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Locked-Host-Logos-Horizontal-USF-Small-e1635274663378.png admin2017-11-22 17:28:212021-12-15 02:50:59Bridge Loan Helps Arcadia-based Citrus Grower Through the Squeeze

Categories

  • Business Essentials
  • Business Plans
  • Buying a Business
  • Certifications
  • COVID-19
  • Crowdfunding
  • Disaster Preparedness
  • Economic Development
  • Finance
  • Government Contracting
  • Growing Your Business
  • Healthcare
  • Human Resources
  • International Trade
  • Marketing
  • Press Releases
  • Radio and Podcast
  • Starting a Business
  • Success Stories
  • Success Stories Videos
  • Tech Commercialization/Tech Transfer
  • Veteran
  • Web and Social Media

Email Newsletters

Sign Up Now

Contact Us

Tampa

Port Authority Building
1101 Channelside Drive, Suite 210

Tampa, Florida 33602

813-905-5800

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Florida SBDC Network

The Florida SBDC at the University of South Florida is a member of the Florida SBDC Network, a statewide partnership program nationally accredited by the Association of America’s SBDCs and funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Defense Logistics Agency, State of Florida, and other private and public partners, with the University of West Florida serving as the network’s lead host institution. Florida SBDC services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Language assistance services are available for limited English proficient individuals.

Logos

Business Assistance

USFMuma

State Designated as Florida’s Principal Provider of Business Assistance [§ 288.01, Fla. Stat.]

© Florida SBDC at USF | contact webmaster
Bridge Loan Helps Tampa-based Staffing Company Bridge Loan Helps Tampa-based Staffing Company Bridge Loan Helps St. Pete-based Salon Recoup Revenue Bridge Loan Helps St. Pete-based Salon Recoup Revenue
Scroll to top