The Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) Foundation received nearly 700 eligible applications — representing more than 42,000 acres — for its new Existing Tree Therapies Program. A random lottery drawing was recently conducted by a third party, and 159 projects have been selected for inclusion in the program. The remaining applications have been placed on a waitlist.
CRAFT staff will be contacting the 159 applicants chosen in the lottery to get contracts in place. All other applicants will be notified of their place on the waitlist.
The projects will be between 10 and 100 acres and focus on one or more of four primary therapies used on existing plantings. The therapies include gibberellic acid, 2,4-D, brassinosteroids and the direct systemic application of approved antimicrobials such as oxytetracycline hydrochloride.
Additional funds from the Citrus Research and Development Foundation’s 2022 budget may be available for CRAFT to utilize for this program. Pending receipt of those funds, additional applications from the waitlist will be approved.
CRAFT has submitted requests to various agencies for funding that would allow the continued development of both the traditional CRAFT new-planting program and the Existing Tree Therapies Program. Assuming those funds are all approved, the application window for the Existing Tree Therapies Program would most likely reopen in early summer 2023, followed by the traditional CRAFT program in late summer/early fall 2023.
Questions regarding the CRAFT programs can be addressed to Program Manager Tamara Wood at tamara@craftfdn.org or 863-698-9276, or to Assistant Program Manager Tina Buice at tina@craftfdn.org or 863-214-3731.
CRAFT was formed to fund growers for participating in commercial research projects that evaluate the effectiveness of various practices to combat HLB disease.
Source: Florida Citrus Mutual
Share this Post
Sponsored Content