Land squeeze

Tampa land broker Bill Eshenbaugh rode his horse from Bradenton to Fort Pierce recently, spending the night at ranches and citrus farms along the way.

Eshenbaugh says the interior of Florida's rural character isn't going to change anytime soon, which creates lots of questions about Alico's recent deal to buy thousands of citrus acres in the center of the state.

According to the latest government data, citrus-product consumption has been declining as fewer people drink orange juice. The industry has also been hit hard by competition from places such as Brazil and deadly tree diseases such as greening.