Tuesday's Afternoon Update

What you need to know about Florida today

| 1/13/2015

Florida's leading indicator up again

Seven of the 10 components that make up Florida's leading indicator had a positive contribution in November: unemployment claims, exports of manufactures, international tourism outlook, Floridians' consumer sentiment, national stock prices, interest rate spread and national technology index. More at the Orlando Business Journal.

Analysis: Investing in second-stage companies would add 25,000 jobs to Florida

GrowFL, a state program designed to grow and develop the biggest job-creating companies in Florida should be expanded, according to a new report from the independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit public policy research institute, Florida TaxWatch. Read the full story.

Florida looks to poach businesses from Pennsylvania

Agriculture
Officials downgrade Florida's citrus forecast

The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated Monday that Florida would produce 103 million boxes of oranges in the current growing season.

That's a decrease of 5 million boxes from the estimate released last month.

» Read more from the AP

Florida Gov. Rick Scott is planning a trip to Philadelphia in February, and he’s hoping to lure some Pennsylvania businesses back south with him. His pitch so far has focused on differences in the states’ existing business tax climates. More at FOX News.

Liquor stores, beer distributors challenge brewery licenses

Florida liquor stores and beer distributors are challenging the way the state issues licenses allowing craft breweries to sell their products in tasting rooms, a move that brewers say could put dozens of breweries out of business or, at the very least, halt rapid growth in the industry. More at the AP.

Harris Corp. donates $1M to Florida Institute of Technology for new design center

Florida Institute of Technology received a $1 million gift from Harris Corp. that will be used to create a new student design center at the university. More at the Orlando Business Journal.

Startup Trends
Incubators Aren't Only for Tech Startups

Say the word incubator, and thoughts turn to tech-driven business-development hubs. But according to the National Business Incubation Association (NBIA), just 37 percent of North American incubators are focused on technology. The rest come from fields such as manufacturing, arts, fashion and food, and are helping launch businesses across the country.