São Paulo (Brazil) and Florida (USA) produce more than 50% of all citrus fruits consumed/industrialized worldwide, with an annual economic value greater than USD 1 billion (each). In both regions the relative importance of the citrus industry as compared to other activities is similar in many aspects. However, the business structure, the funding of investments and arrangements available for production differ considerably in each region. In Florida, more than 50% of the owners of citrus farms are out-of-state investors, with an urban background and without specific knowledge about production; in São Paulo the ownership structure is quite different.  This paper presents a characterization of the business structure and arrangements used in Florida citrus production, as well as perspectives for some of these arrangements within the Brazilian (São Paulo) context. The research relies on an original survey developed in Florida based on interviews with farmers, extensionists, researchers, and managers of companies related to the citrus production.