A saw palmetto berry poacher was arrested in Polk County on property belonging to Warner University.
Key Details of the Incident
- Suspect: Rodney Michael.
- Location: Warner University property (located in Lake Wales / rural Polk County).
- How He Was Caught: Campus security officers located a pickup truck loaded with illegally harvested saw palmetto berries hidden on university grounds and notified the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
- Arresting Agency: Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO).
Why Saw Palmetto Berry Poaching is Significant in Florida
Saw palmetto berry harvest season typically runs late summer through fall. Because the berries are used heavily in dietary and herbal supplements (primarily for prostate health), they command high prices on the market—often sold to roadside buyers or processors.
Due to widespread trespassing and illegal harvesting, Florida law classifies saw palmetto as a commercially exploited plant. Under state regulations, harvesters must hold a permit from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) and have explicit written permission from the property owner. Harvesting or possessing poached berries without proper authorization carries severe penalties, including potential felony charges.
Florida updated its regulations in 2024 to impose harsher penalties on people who illegally harvest saw palmetto berries. Taking the berries without permission is a third-degree felony in the state and carries a potential sentence of five years in prison.
Palmetto berries fetch anywhere from 75 cents to $3.50 per pound from roadside buyers. Officials said that the thieves sometimes sell them to roadside buyers, but the berries generally make their way down to Immokalee and then are shipped to China for processing.