Mutual Petitions FDA Regarding OJ Brix

Ernie NeffOrange Juice

Florida Citrus Mutual (FCM) is making efforts to protect growers in the event Florida oranges don’t meet the minimum Brix requirement for not-from-concentrate (NFC) orange juice (OJ). FCM recently sent a formal request to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seeking enforcement discretion to protect growers from the likely contingency that Florida’s 2021-22 orange crop may not meet FDA’s …

FDACS Cost-Share Program for Food Safety

Ernie Nefffinancial, Food Safety

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) is offering a cost-share program for producers of specialty crops who obtain food-safety certification. Producers who obtained food-safety certification for specialty crop products (fruits, vegetables or tree nuts) through several programs could be eligible for reimbursement of 75% of certification costs, up to $1,500 per producer. Programs include the U.S. Department …

FDACS Launches COVID-19 Webpage

Ernie NeffCOVID-19

There’s now a one-stop webpage for Florida growers to keep up with COVID-19 food and agriculture-related information. The Keep Florida Growing webpage was launched April 13 by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). “With COVID-19 deeply affecting not only Floridians but also agriculture, our state’s second-largest economic driver, we’re launching a new one-stop page to support consumers …

COVID-19 Guidance From FDACS

Ernie NeffCOVID-19

In response to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis issuing a stay-at-home order due to COVID-19, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried explained why agriculture can continue working. “Florida’s farmers and ranchers put food on the tables of our neighbors across the state and nation,” Fried stated in a media release issued by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). …

pesticide

UF/IFAS and FDACS Working to Bring Pesticide Licensing Online

Daniel CooperCitrus, 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 …

bill

FDACS Begins Efforts to Eradicate Oriental Fruit Fly

Daniel CooperFood Safety, fruit, Industry News Release

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) has positively identified the presence of three Oriental fruit flies, Bactrocera dorsalis, in south Miami-Dade County. The initial fly was discovered during routine trapping, and additional flies were discovered during expanded trapping activities. The department, along with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, monitors more than 56,000 fruit fly traps statewide as an …

FDACS Promotes the Abandoned Grove Initiative

Abbey TaylorPests

Research shows that abandoned citrus groves can harbor unwanted pests and citrus diseases. Therefore, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) Bureau of Pest Eradication and Control is raising more awareness about its Abandoned Grove Initiative to help destroy those safe havens for deadly pests. Callie Walker, chief of the FDACS Bureau of Pest Eradication and Control, says …

Available Cost-Share Funds from FDACS

Kelsey FryLegislative, Water

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ (FDACS) Office of Agricultural Water Policy has released a statement that pertains to producers within certain districts who are willing to purchase equipment and be honored up to a 75 percent reimbursement on the equipment invoice. The funds are being administered through Marion County and Putnam County soil and water conservation districts. …

cold-hardy citrus

CITRUS NURSERY SOURCE: Strong Support for Cold-Hardy Citrus Growers

Daniel CooperCitrus Nursery Source, Cold Hardy

By Peter Chaires The citrus research program at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) North Florida Research and Education Center (NFREC) includes several projects aimed at assisting growers in the cold-hardy citrus region. Let’s take a look at what researchers are working on. EVALUATING SCIONS AND ROOTSTOCKS Presently, the citrus industry in North Florida faces …

ReMedium TI®

ReMedium TI Receives Exemption From Two-Year Restriction on Applications

Daniel CooperHLB Management

ReMedium TI® has received a special local need label from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumers Services (FDACS). The label will remove the requirement that applications to treat citrus greening (HLB) cannot be made beyond two years in a row. For Florida citrus growers, this means those who have applied ReMedium TI® over the past two seasons now will …

infrastructure

Grants to Help Florida Growers Strengthen Infrastructure

Daniel CooperFlorida

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service (USDA/AMS) recently announced it has a cooperative agreement with Florida under the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program (RFSI). Through this agreement, USDA and Florida are offering more than $8 million in competitive grant funding for projects designed to build resilience across the middle of the supply chain. Florida is accepting applications for …

craft

CRAFT Foundation Has New Leader

Daniel CooperCRAFT

Steven Hall on July 8 succeeded Tamara Wood as executive director/program manager of the Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) Foundation. Wood will return to her former full-time employer Florida Citrus Mutual after a short period helping with the transition to Hall. Hall most recently served as assistant deputy commissioner of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), …

cultivars

Survivor Grapefruit Cultivars Set for HLB Trials

Daniel CooperGrapefruit, HLB Management, Research

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) citrus scion breeding program recently rediscovered several noteworthy grapefruit cultivars at the A.H. Whitmore Foundation Farm in Groveland, Florida. Among these are the Florida Red, Red Blush and Henderson varieties. These cultivars were originally selected as long shots from the Whitmore Foundation Farm and were planted in 1986. They have survived …

fruit fly

Oriental Fruit Fly Update for California

Daniel CooperCalifornia Corner, Pests, Regulation

Federal and state agriculture officials on May 31 removed the Oriental fruit fly (OFF) quarantine in Sacramento County, California. The action was taken by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) after three OFF life cycles elapsed with no additional detections in the area. The …

pre-harvest

Final Pre-Harvest Agricultural Water Rule Published

Daniel CooperRegulation, Water

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published a final rule on certain pre-harvest agricultural water. The rule revises requirements for covered produce, other than sprouts, in the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule. According to FDA, the revised requirements are intended to enhance public health by improving the safety of water used in produce cultivation. FDA stated …

citrus black spot

Florida Citrus Black Spot Quarantines Expanded

Daniel CooperDiseases, Florida, Regulation

Agriculture officials have increased the existing citrus black spot (CBS) quarantine area in Florida and established a new quarantine area. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Division of Plant Industry (FDACS DPI) took these actions. CBS is a fungal disease that leaves fruit speckled …

florida

Update on Florida Ag Legislation and Budget Presented

Daniel CooperFlorida, Legislative

By Maegan Beatty In mid-April, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) hosted the 9th annual Florida Agricultural Policy Outlook Conference at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center in Wimauma. The conference examines critical policy issues facing agribusiness leaders and provides economic insights. Participants heard from policymakers, key stakeholders and expert researchers on the farm …

support

Florida Legislators Support Agriculture

Daniel CooperAgriculture, Florida, Legislative

The 2024 Florida legislative session wrapped up last month, and the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association (FFVA) believes it is very clear that state legislators support the agriculture industry. The association expressed appreciation for Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson and the Florida Legislature for championing legislation that sought meaningful solutions to some of the challenges facing the industry. BENEFICIAL BILLS …

Citrus Budwood

CITRUS NURSERY SOURCE: New Leadership at Bureau of Citrus Budwood Registration

Daniel CooperCitrus Nursery Source

By Peter Chaires The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) Bureau of Citrus Budwood Registration is key to maintaining a healthy citrus nursery industry. The bureau ensures that Florida nurseries have access to clean, quality, reliable budwood. It is important for industry to remain familiar with the team running the bureau. Considering recent changes to the bureau’s leadership, …

citrus acreage

Florida Citrus Acreage Still Tops in United States

Daniel CooperFlorida, Land

As part of its recently published Florida Citrus Statistics 2022–23, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) reported Florida’s citrus acreage at 332,256 acres, down 11% from the prior season. The net loss of 43,046 acres was 11,000 acres more than was lost the previous season. New plantings at 6,203 acres were down from the previous season. All …