J. Brantley Schirard

Highlights

Schirard was president of Schirard Citrus in Fort Pierce. He has served on numerous boards and has been president of several organizations, including Florida Citrus Mutual and Indian River Citrus League. He received the Florida Citrus Packers’ John T. Lesley Award and the Commissioner of Agriculture’s Environmental Achievement Award in 2011. Today he still owns and operates Schirard Citrus Inc.

• Schirard Citrus Inc.
• Florida Citrus Commission
• Florida Citrus Mutual
• Indian River Citrus League
• Grassy Island Development

Bio

J. Brantley Schirard was born April 16, 1939, to John and Mildred Schirard in Sanford, Florida. After graduated from Seminole High School in 1957, Schirard attended the University of Florida majoring in Citrus Production. At UF, Schirard played on the Gator football team and was president of the Citrus Club and was in Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity. While still a student at the University of Florida, Schirard married his wife Linda, a happy union that eventually produced three children: J. Brantley Jr., Bryan, and Lori.

After graduation Schirard moved to St. Lucie County to begin working in the industry his father introduced to him as a grower and packer in Sanford. Eventually becoming President of Schirard Citrus in Ft. Pierce, Schirard managed and developed citrus acreage throughout Florida. He served on numerous boards of citrus organizations in the state, including the Florida Citrus Commission (where he chaired the international committee for six years), the Florida Citrus Packers Association, the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Share Council, the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association, and the Florida State Horticultural Society. Schirard served as president of numerous organizations: the Florida Orange Marketers, the Florida Citrus Production Managers’ Association, and Florida Citrus Mutual. He was most recently president of the Indian River Citrus League, serving from 2009 to 2012. His knowledge and leadership skills have benefited many facets of the industry in numerous areas, including marketing, packaging, processing, research, and regulations. His willingness to share his time and talents resulted in mentoring many within the industry. In 2011 he received the Florida Citrus Packers’ John T. Lesley Award in recognition of his lifetime achievements in the Florida citrus industry. He also received the Commissioner of Agriculture’s Environmental Achievement Award for his Grassy Island Development.

Today Schirard still owns and operates Schirard Citrus Inc., which operates over 9,000 acres of groves, packing and marketing operations, Gomez Cattle Company, and Colorado Ranch Property, a wildlife preserve.