Postharvest Water Requirements for Packers

Josh McGill Packing, Regulation, Tip of the Week

By Clara Diekman, Micah Gallagher, Taylor O’Bannon and Michelle Danyluk Compliance dates for all water associated with the Produce Safety Rule (PSR, Subpart E) has previously been delayed, pending completion of the rule. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced in the fall of 2022 that postharvest water requirements in the PSR will be enforced on large farms beginning …

Fertilizer Exemption Issued Due to Hurricane Ian

Josh McGill BMPs, Florida, Regulation

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) recently issued an emergency rule allowing growers enrolled in best management practices (BMP) programs to apply replacement fertilizer to reestablish crops impacted by Hurricane Ian. Under the rule, producers can make those applications without fear of being out of compliance with their respective BMP manuals. The emergency rule will be in …

florida citrus

BMP Verification Visits Suspended

Josh McGill BMPs

The requirement that the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) conduct Best Management Practice (BMP) implementation verification visits has been temporarily suspended for several counties impacted by Hurricane Ian. The action was taken Oct. 31 by Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried. The 60-day suspension is effective for the counties of Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Flagler, Glades, …

Hurricane Ian Citrus Damages Could Hit $675 Million

Josh McGill Economics, hurricane

Total Florida citrus crop and tree losses from Hurricane Ian are estimated to be from $417 million to $675 million by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). FDACS’ Hurricane Ian’s Preliminary Estimates of Damage to Florida Agriculture report echoed a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) preliminary assessment of $147 million to $304 …

fruit fly

Oriental Fruit Fly Eradicated in Florida County

Josh McGill Florida, Pests, Regulation

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) announced on Sept. 23 that the oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis) has been eradicated from Pinellas County. In June, FDACS Division of Plant Industry positively identified oriental fruit flies detected during routine trapping. Additional flies were discovered during expanded trapping activities. A quarantine was established in the St. Petersburg area that …

Agencies Act to Assist Florida Agriculture

Josh McGill Florida, hurricane

Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association reported the following actions that Florida government agencies took during and after Hurricane Ian to aid impacted agricultural entities, including citrus. SUSPENSION OF WEIGHT RESTRICTIONSThe Florida Department of Transportation announced it suspended the size and weight restrictions for divisible loads on any vehicles transporting emergency equipment, services, supplies and agricultural commodities, including citrus and sugar. …

Support for HLB Product Label Requests

Josh McGill Pesticides

Florida Citrus Mutual (FCM) has been working with product registrants to gather industry support for two 24(c) label requests being presented to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). REMEDIUM TIThe first request, from TJ BioTech, is related to the use of ReMedium TI via injection in citrus trees suffering from citrus greening. Research has proven oxytetracycline injection …

CRAFT Cycle 4 Coming Soon

Josh McGill CRAFT, Florida, planting

The application window for Cycle 4 of the Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) program is expected to open in early October and remain open for a period of 60 days. Projects approved for year four of the CRAFT program in Florida will have a planting deadline of June 2024. CRAFT is working to finalize a presentation of factors of …

Woman of the Year in Agriculture Named

Josh McGill Awards, Florida

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) named Madeline Mellinger the 2022 Woman of the Year in Agriculture. Mellinger founded Glades Crop Care, Inc. in 1972 and is still the company’s chief operating officer. Glades Crop Care provides integrated pest management and crop counseling services to more than 65,000 acres of plants and more than 60 varieties of fresh …

Oriental Fruit Flies Found in Florida

Josh McGill Florida, Pests

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) has confirmed the presence of Oriental fruit flies, Bactrocera dorsalis, in Pinellas County. Two male flies were captured during routine trapping in a methyl eugenol-baited fruit fly detection trap in St. Petersburg on May 17. Expanded intensified delimitation trapping over the 80-square-mile surrounding area resulted in two additional males being captured …

Nursery Owner Wins Judgment Over Destroyed Trees

Josh McGill Citrus, Citrus Greening, Legal

The owner of a commercial nursery has won a $1.2 million judgment against the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) for the destruction of citrus trees in the 2000s, AP News reported. A jury in Orlando determined the state agency had destroyed more than 160,000 citrus plants in an effort to stop citrus greening, AP reported. The jury …

Results of the Florida Citrus Research Order Referendum

Josh McGill CRDF, Regulation, Research

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) announced that the state’s citrus growers reauthorized the Florida citrus research order in a statutorily required referendum conducted by the department. The results of the ballots returned yielded 76% “yes” votes representing 69% of total citrus acres. The Florida Citrus Research Order has a six-year cycle and is subject to renewal …

Important Clarifications on the Florida Citrus Research Order Referendum

Josh McGill CRDF, Regulation, Research

As the voting period for the Florida Citrus Research Order winds down, it is important that growers have a clear understanding what the vote is for and the role the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) plays in the process. Rick Dantzler, chief operating officer of CRDF, says this clarification is important to be sure growers have the correct information, …

Seeking Agricultural-Environmental Leadership Award Nominations

Josh McGill Awards, Environment, Florida

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) has opened the nomination period for the 2022 Agricultural-Environmental Leadership Award. Nominations must be submitted to FDACS by April 15, 2022. Get the nomination form here. “Through work in soil and conservation, pesticide and nutrient management, wildlife habitat conservation, and so much more … significant environmental contributions are the backbone of …

florida

Town Hall Meeting on COVID-19 and Florida Agriculture

Daniel Cooper business, COVID-19, financial, Florida

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and Florida Farm Bureau President John L. Hoblick held a town hall meeting on Thursday with the state’s agriculture community on pressing issues. Some of the topics of discussion included: Ensuring agriculture and all related industries are essential at the federal, state and local levels. Promoting the continued and efficient processing of H-2A worker visas. Inter- and intra-state weight waivers for …

pesticide

UF/IFAS and FDACS Working to Bring Pesticide Licensing Online

Daniel Cooper Citrus, Industry News Release, Pesticides

(UF/IFAS) — University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) are working to identify ways to provide online testing for certified pesticide applicators while in-person testing is unavailable due to COVID-19. All in-person UF/IFAS Extension programs and activities, including pesticide testing, have been postponed or cancelled through …

citrus

Stay Sought in Citrus Tree Appeal

Daniel Cooper Citrus, Citrus Greening, financial, Industry News Release

(NSF) — The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services wants the Florida Supreme Court to put on hold a legal battle about payments to Lee County homeowners whose healthy citrus trees were cut down amid an effort to halt the spread of citrus-canker disease. The department on Wednesday filed a motion for a stay, after taking the long-running case to the Supreme Court last …

citrus

State Appeals Ruling on Citrus Tree Payments

Daniel Cooper Citrus, financial, Industry News Release

(NSF) — The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has gone to the state Supreme Court after lower courts ordered payment of more than $13.6 million to Lee County homeowners whose healthy citrus trees were cut down amid an effort to halt the spread of citrus-canker disease. The department has filed a notice of appeal that is a first step in asking the …

commissioner

Commissioner Fried on the 2019-20 Citrus Forecast

Daniel Cooper Crop Forecast, Industry News Release

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released the initial citrus crop forecast for the 2019-20 season. Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried offered the following statement: “Today’s forecast reflects the resilience of Florida’s citrus growers, dedication to the citrus industry and commitment to innovation in the face of challenges. Citrus is Florida’s signature crop, and we’re committed to supporting our citrus …