 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
California’s huanglongbing (HLB, also known as citrus greening) quarantine and its Santa Clara Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) quarantine were recently expanded. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) in cooperation with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) expanded the quarantines. HLB The HLB-quarantined area in Riverside County was expanded by 3 square miles. …
Editor’s note: This is the third installment of four articles honoring the 2025 Citrus Achievement Award Winner Ben Albritton. Senate President Ben Albritton is preparing for the 2026 legislative session with committee meetings in full swing. The session is slated to start on Jan. 13 and run 60 calendar days. During the past session, Albritton successfully led the effort to …
A University of Connecticut researcher recently made advancements in citrus gene editing techniques to reduce the drawbacks of traditional methods. The researcher is Yi Li, professor of horticultural plant breeding biotechnology in the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources. BACKGROUND Scientists employ genome-editing technologies to precisely modify a plant’s own genes, either by inactivating or activating specific target genes …
The Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa (CGA) welcomed new U.S. tariff exemptions that include oranges. It stated that the new exemption is great news for the 2026 season, which starts around April. According to CGA, the exemption once again makes South African oranges competitive in the U.S. market, which holds opportunities for increased exports and local job creation. The …
By Brenda Eubank Burnette Thanksgiving, for me, has always been a time to pause and reflect — to look back with gratitude at the blessings that have shaped my life. Inevitably, that reflection leads to a few chuckles and a lot of “What if I hadn’t done this… met them… or listened to my mother?” You may laugh, but I …
Florida Farm Bureau has submitted comments supporting the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) proposal to amend the standard of identity (SOI) for pasteurized orange juice (POJ) by lowering the minimum soluble solids content from 10.5° to 10° Brix. The FDA proposed an amendment earlier this year in response to a 2021 Florida citrus industry petition. Following are some comments from …
By Peter Chaires Last month’s Citrus Nursery Source article promised additional details on New Varieties Development & Management Corp.’s (NVDMC) 2025–26 sponsored projects. While there is only space for general summaries, it is important to highlight the areas of focus for each research team, and the emphasis on short-term benefits while continuing to build a foundation for the future. NVDMC …
Golden Ridge Groves will open Nov. 20 in Alturas, Florida. The new business includes u-pick in a citrus under protective screen (CUPS) structure and a farm market. The operation will be open for the season Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Husband and wife owners Shane and Katie Bevilacqua answered questions about the new business. Q: When will …
The Florida Citrus Show is gearing up for an exciting return on March 12, 2026, bringing back the popular tailgate-style format that exhibitors and growers have come to love. The event will once again take place at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Indian River Research and Education Center and the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research …
Citrus agricultural technology will be showcased on Dec. 5 in California. Six companies will demonstrate their technology during a VINE Connect Field Day at the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) Lindcove Research and Extension Center (REC) in Exeter. VINE Connect is a statewide commercialization program that helps proven ag tech companies bring their technologies to market …
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services recently approved TJ BioTech’s request for a Section 24(c) registration related to a fourth year of use of the oxytetracycline (OTC) product ReMedium TI®. The product is a systemic injectable antimicrobial for the control or suppression of huanglongbing (HLB) disease in citrus. The Section 24(c) registration is a special local need registration. …
By Edwin Gutierrez-Rodriguez and Bosques Jonael Replanting a citrus grove can be an exciting prospect, but it’s not as simple as swapping trees. New cultivars, for example, may require a different setup. Here are some aspects to consider before jumping in: First steps: Newly released cultivars and rootstocks as wells as the Citrus Research and Field Trial programs are refreshing the …
Florida Farm Bureau commented on issues of importance to agriculturists after the government shutdown ended. Parts of the Florida Farm Bureau announcement follow: On Wednesday, Nov. 12, President Donald Trump signed legislation that funds the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Department of Veterans Affairs for the remainder of fiscal year 2026. The measure …
In the November Highlands County Citrus Growers Association newsletter, President Riley McKenna and Executive Director Ray Royce reported mostly positive signs they’ve been seeing in groves. MCKENNA “As the month progresses, so have the cooler nighttime temperatures. This cold front marks an important shift moving forward into our early harvest season,” said McKenna. “It brings both anticipation for fruit ripening …
Jesse Silva, vice president of Kings River Packing, recently gave an upbeat outlook on the California citrus season. Silva termed it “a high-quality, high-demand year.” Kings River and its affiliated companies, including Cobblestone Fruit and Jireh Packing, are operating at full capacity across their four facilities in Sanger, Reedley and Orosi, Silva said. “We’re running 24/7 right now,” he said. …
The Citrus Research and Field Trial Foundation (CRAFT) recently reported it has processed more than 2,000 applications for its Year 7 programs. It has received more than $207 million in eligible applications across all program areas, with approximately $106 million available for funding projects this year. FAST TRACK All eligible Fast Track applications have been funded, and 220 contracts have …
The short timeframe when temperatures dipped below freezing this week in the cold-hardy citrus region appears to have not been problematic for trees. That’s the preliminary assessment shared by Mary Sutton, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and citrus Extension specialist. Sutton emphasized that the few hours that temperatures dropped into the 20s early Tuesday morning was a lot better …
The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) has expanded the reach of its Farm State of Mind initiative by joining with the Farm Family Wellness Alliance to launch the Farm State of Mind Alliance. The Farm Family Wellness Alliance began in 2020 as a pilot project by Farm Foundation and National 4-H Council. It expanded in 2023 to support offering Togetherall …
The characteristic sour-sweet balance of citrus fruits is largely defined by citric acid accumulation in the vacuoles of juice sacs. Previous studies identified several proteins — such as CsPH8, CsAN1 and CsPH4 — that control acid storage and transport. However, little was known about the CsAN11 protein. Many citrus cultivars exhibit wide variations in acidity, even among closely related varieties, …
The anticipated disappointment has become a reality for cold-hardy citrus growers; satsuma mandarins are in short supply. The predominant citrus variety grown in the region will not have much of a crop this season as harvests have already begun across the cold-hardy region of North Florida, South Georgia and South Alabama. As expected, citrus volume will be short, mostly due …
