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News for citrus growers around the globe
California citrus growers and other farmers in the Bakersfield area may feel vindicated with the result of a new study by researchers at Duke University and RTI International. As reported in the California Department of Food and Agriculture Planting Seeds blog, the study finds that reusing oilfield water that’s been mixed with surface water to irrigate farms in the Cawelo …
The European Union (EU) tangerine crop forecast for 2019-20 shows a 14 percent decrease from the previous year, to 2.7 million metric tons (MMT), the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) recently reported. The expected production is 13 percent lower than the nine-year average production of 3.1 MMT. The FAS reported that the EU has reduced its tangerine …
Citrus Expo is coming to you this year! The popular annual event has gone virtual in order to deliver the information to growers that they need. On Aug. 19–20, the 2020 seminar program will debut online at CitrusExpo.net at 9:30 a.m. Attendees will be able to watch videos of the research presentations from their computer or cell phone. See the …
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) in late July removed the Mexican fruit fly (Mexfly) quarantine area in Lasara, Texas. Lasara is in Willacy County. The quarantine in Lasara had been established in January. The agencies had restricted interstate movement of regulated articles from the area to …
Meet the four students who received the FMC Citrus Ag Production Scholarships. By Tacy Callies The FMC Citrus Ag Production Scholarships (CAPS) program, a partnership between AgNet Media and FMC, was created to support Florida citrus production and encourage interested youth to pursue careers in citrus. Two University of Florida students and two Florida Southern College students each were awarded …
Global orange juice production for 2019-20 is estimated to slip 23 percent from last season, to 1.6 million tons, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service. Much of the blame falls on Brazil and Mexico, where fewer oranges are expected to be available for processing. Worldwide orange juice consumption is projected to be flat, though not down. …
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services recently issued warnings about unsolicited packages of seed received through the mail. See a previous article about the warnings. APHIS is collecting as many seed packages as possible to determine whether they present a threat to U.S. agriculture or …
Are you a Florida grower in need of Core continuing education units (CEUs) to renew your restricted-use pesticide license? A new CEU Central article is now available from Citrus Industry magazine. The article, “Understanding pesticide labeling” by Amir Rezazadeh, can be found in the August issue of Citrus Industry magazine and online here. Rezazadeh is multi-county fruit and field crops …
Managing the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) that spreads citrus greening disease (HLB) has become a crucial task at the forefront of much research. One management option that has proven to reduce ACP populations while increasing tree growth and yield is particle film. During the 2020 virtual Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences …
A growing body of scientific research shows that 100 percent orange juice (OJ), and its vitamins and minerals, may play a beneficial role in helping to lower blood pressure and other risk factors for heart disease. Recently, a randomized control study performed by researchers at Eurecat, Centre Tecnològic de Catalunya, in Reus, Spain concluded that 100 percent OJ and 100 percent OJ fortified …
A projected decline in Spain’s grapefruit crop in 2019-20 will lead to an 11 percent decline in the all-European Union (EU) grapefruit forecast compared to last season. EU total production is pegged at 96,720 metric tons (MT). Other EU grapefruit-producing countries will increase or maintain production. That’s according to a recent report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural …
Citrus Australia is relieved the citrus harvest in New South Wales (NSW) can resume following the NSW government’s decision to overturn its ban on seasonal workers overnight. Citrus Australia CEO Nathan Hancock has urged the government to consult with relevant communities and industries before making such drastic changes in the future. As of Thursday night, seasonal workers who reside in …
Grower meetings have been curtailed due to COVID-19, but Extension agents and specialists with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) are available to assist growers needing in-person help. “We do have the ability to get out and travel and come see folks,” says Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) Director Michael Rogers. “If there are …
Kiyo Ueda Hiatt, 94, died July 11 at Treasure Coast Hospice – Harper House in Stuart, Florida. She began working more than 50 years ago at Deerfield Groves in Florida. Hiatt worked in sales in the citrus industry and served on several Florida Department of Citrus subcommittees. She was a pioneer for women in the Florida citrus industry. Kay, as …
The Texas citrus industry is still assessing the damage from Hurricane Hanna, which hit the state on July 25. “Current estimates suggest a 30 percent crop loss,” said Dale Murden, president of Texas Citrus Mutual and a citrus grower. “There were no damages to packing and processing facilities, and we do not anticipate any issues with processing this season. We …
By Brenda Eubanks Burnette The orange blossom has been part of wedding culture for centuries. Incorporating orange blossoms into the bride’s trousseau originated in ancient China where the white blossoms represented purity, chastity, innocence and fertility. In the article, “To Gather Orange Blossoms – History of Wedding Flowers Bouquets,” Cornelia Powell wrote, “There are few trees so prolific as the …
Florida agriculture is filled with industry giants who have left a rich legacy of achievement, innovation and progress. The Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame, which honors those who have made significant contributions, is now accepting nominations for inductees. The online nomination form is available on the Florida Ag Hall of Fame website. Visit floridaaghalloffame.org and click on the “Nominate” tab. …
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) is warning Floridians about unsolicited packages of seeds received through the mail. The seed packets may arrive unexpectedly in packages bearing Chinese characters, may bear the name China Post, and may be labeled as jewelry. They have been reported in multiple states. As of July 28, FDACS has received at least 631 reports from …
Funding for Asian citrus psyllid (ACP)/huanglongbing (HLB) programs and the Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Division (CPDPD), an agency of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), were included in the 2020-2021 California budget. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the budget on June 29. The CPDPD, known also as the Citrus Division, utilizes state, federal and grower-generated funds to prevent …
By Manjul Dutt and Jude Grosser Finger lime, a distant relative of sweet orange and grapefruit, is a relatively new crop species for Florida. It is an Australian native species that has been gaining in popularity and importance in the last few years because of its unique fruit characteristics and disease tolerance, which sets it apart from conventional sweet orange …
