Soon-to-exit South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) governing board members offered parting comments at the SFWMD governing board meeting in West Palm Beach. The entire board was asked to resign and put under pressure to do so by Gov. Ron DeSantis and South Florida Congressman Brian Mast, who is advising the governor on agricultural and environmental issues. The resignations were … Read More
Sneak Peek: April 2019 Citrus Industry Magazine
As Florida citrus growers learn to live with HLB, greater attention is being paid to plant nutrition. Nutrition takes center stage in the April issue of Citrus Industry magazine. Both growers and researchers are exploring the use of cover crops in grove row middles to enhance tree nutrition. The April issue includes a case study on eight years of cover … Read More
Important Insurance Deadlines Are Approaching
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) reminds Florida citrus growers of upcoming insurance deadlines as they relate to the Wildfires and Hurricanes Indemnity Program (WHIP) and the Block Grant. WHIP Requirement for Nursery CropsThe application sales closing date for crop insurance for 2020 Nursery Crops is May 1, 2019. Nursery growers who received WHIP benefits must … Read More
Michaela McClean Crowned Miss Florida Citrus
The Florida citrus industry now has one of its own family members to serve as a spokesperson. Michaela McClean won the title of Miss Florida Citrus 2019 on March 23. Her family owns Uncle Matt’s Organic orange juice company, based in Clermont, Florida. “Uncle Matt is actually my uncle,” says McClean. “I’m on the back of the orange juice carton. … Read More
PIECES OF THE PAST: Citrus Cultivation a Century Ago
By Brenda Eubanks Burnette I found the first issue (January 1920) of Citrus Industry, courtesy of Jen Dawson at the Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred, Florida. As I looked through the issue, I came across an article on soil tillage. Unfortunately, the pages had stuck together and only the last part was readable, but I wanted to … Read More
Citrus Growers Meet in Florida’s Heartland
Several hundred Highlands County Citrus Growers Association (HCCGA) members and area community leaders turned out for the association’s 29th annual meeting on March 21 in Sebring, Florida. Florida Department of Citrus Executive Director Shannon Shepp briefly updated the group on activities of the department. Rep. Greg Steube (FL-District 17) was the featured speaker. He shared some of his experiences and … Read More
Florida Citrus Growers’ Institute Preview
In a recent interview, Michael Rogers provided an in-depth preview of presentations scheduled for the April 2 Florida Citrus Growers’ Institute in Avon Park. Rogers is director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences’ (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred. Rogers said multi-county citrus Extension agents have been putting the Institute program together … Read More
Miss Florida Citrus Pageant Is This Weekend
Citrus industry members seeking a fun night out this weekend need look no further than the Miss Florida Citrus Pageant! Don’t miss your chance to welcome the newly crowned Miss Florida Citrus to the industry. Not only will she serve as a a key spokeswoman to represent the Florida citrus industry in a positive light, she’ll earn scholarship money and … Read More
Hurricane Irma: Relief Update and Frustration
Representatives of the Florida Division of Emergency Management (DEM) updated the Florida Citrus Commission Wednesday on Hurricane Irma reimbursements from the Citrus Recovery Block Grant. They heard from some commissioners concerned that growers have been waiting a long time for relief funds for the storm that hit Florida hard in September 2017. Commission Chairman Ellis Hunt told the representatives there … Read More
CRDF President on Field Trials and Communication
Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) President Larry Black discusses the organization’s potential role in large-scale field trials to demonstrate how citrus can be grown in the face of HLB. He also talks about a communication study showing how growers like to receive information about CRDF. The Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) program would be funded for approximately $8 … Read More
All In For Citrus Podcast, March 2019
March’s All In For Citrus podcast brings multiple citrus research updates to Florida’s citrus growers. Listen to the latest episode of the All In For Citrus podcast. First, Michael Rogers, center director of the University of Florida’s (UF) Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC), discusses the upcoming Citrus Growers’ Institute. He discusses the planned seminar program, which is jam-packed with … Read More
Free Download of New Citrus Book
Marcos Fava Neves, author of the Global Perspectives column in Citrus Industry magazine, has a new book available for free download. “Orange Juice Chain: Past, Present and Future” offers ways to combat global challenges to juice consumption, discusses trends in the juice processing industry, offers advice for orange producers, and includes much more. Neves is an international expert on global … Read More
Value of HLB Research Conference
Rick Dantzler, chief operating officer of the Citrus Research and Development Foundation in Florida, discusses the importance of the recent International Research Conference on HLB, held in California. “I think there’s real merit in the industry, nationally and internationally, getting together occasionally to talk about what’s going on in their home states and their home countries,” Dantzler says. He notes … Read More
$3.5 Million Donation to Aid California Citrus Collection
The University of California, Riverside (UCR) has received a $3.5 million donation from Givaudan to support UCR’s Citrus Variety Collection. The gift will help build a screened structure to protect the collection from the impending threat of citrus greening disease, also known as huanglongbing (HLB). The 2.8-acre protective screened structure will house new trees and back-up collections of the UCR … Read More
Sting Nematodes: A Growing Problem for Young Trees
By Larry Duncan Successive hard freezes in Florida in the late 1980s resulted in widespread replanting of citrus groves. Within a few years, many groves on the Central Ridge had discrete patches of poorly growing, chlorotic young trees amid patches of vigorously growing trees. Stubby root symptoms on the declining trees suggested damage by sting nematodes (Belonolaimus longicaudatus). This nematode … Read More
ACP Found in Sacramento
The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), working in cooperation with the Sacramento County agricultural commissioner, has placed Sacramento County under a plant pest quarantine for the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) following the detection of one ACP in Sacramento’s Lemon Hill area. The quarantine prohibits the movement of citrus and curry leaf tree nursery stock and all plant parts, … Read More
WHIP/Block Grant Insurance Requirements
With the Florida citrus crop insurance closing date of April 15 rapidly approaching, Florida Citrus Mutual (FCM) has fielded many questions about the requirements of the Hurricane Irma WHIP (Wildfires and Hurricanes Indemnity Program) and Block Grant programs. The information below, crafted by FCM, is designed to answer general questions. The information has been approved by both the Risk Management … Read More
Mature Mentors ‘Have a Fabulous Time’
About 75 older citrus growers, known as Mature Mentors, held their annual meeting in Tavares recently. John Jackson, a retired county agent who worked in the Tavares Extension office, spoke about the event. “A number of years ago, one of my grower friends, Dixie Royal, and I were having lunch,” Jackson recalled. “We said, ‘You know, we ought to invite … Read More
Trees Improving with Good Nutrition
Many things are improving in Florida citrus groves, and Tripti Vashisth gives most of the credit to constant and balanced fertilization. Vashisth is an assistant professor at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred. “You can see that tree health seems to be improving; growth is improving,” Vashisth said. … Read More
Drone Images Can Accurately Find, Count Citrus Trees
By using drone technology, Florida citrus growers can find out how many trees live in their groves and, eventually, they may detect the health status of the trees, a new University of Florida study shows. Imaging from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can accurately detect and count citrus trees and spaces where trees have had to be removed in groves, said … Read More
Phytophthora: An Old Problem with New Challenges
By Evan Johnson Diseases caused by phytophthora continually threaten Florida citrus production. Brown rot can directly reduce yields of early maturing varieties including Hamlin and grapefruit, can delay harvest of fresh market fruit until infected fruit have dropped, or risk packinghouse rejection of the load because it can spread post-harvest. Foot and crown rot can kill trees but are uncommon … Read More