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The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Mid-Florida Research and Education Center in Apopka hosted the 11th annual Florida Agricultural Policy Outlook Conference on April 16. The event covered a range of subjects critical to farmers. Sen. Keith Truenow (FL-13) discussed the passage of the Florida Farm Bill and its benefits to farmers. The legislation, signed by …
By Michelle Danyluk, William “Billy” Mitchell, Stephanie Brown, Emmy Collins, Keith R. Schneider and Taylor O’Bannon Most citrus growers have been meeting the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Produce Safety Rule (PSR) requirements since 2016. However, changes to this rule in May of 2024 now require growers to have an agricultural water assessment (AgWa) for production (i.e., pre-harvest) water. A …
Information obtained through March indicates that the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season will have activity somewhat below the 1991–2020 average, Colorado State University (CSU) reported on April 9. CSU estimated that 2026 will have: HURRICANE LANDFALL PROBABILITY The probability of U.S. and Caribbean major hurricane landfall is also estimated to be below its long-period average. Probabilities for at least one major …
In April, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) hosted its annual Florida Citrus Growers’ Institute in Avon Park. The event is the subject of discussion in the April All In For Citrus podcast episode. Michael Rogers, director of the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC), says the Institute is among the big three citrus …
Numerous U.S. agriculture organizations, including some representing citrus growers, recently sent letters to two U.S. Cabinet members regarding concerns about the federal H-2A guest worker program. LETTER TO SECRETARY OF STATE A letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio requested that the Department of State take action to streamline its portion of the H-2A filing process by expanding interview waivers. …
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) in cooperation with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) have expanded the area quarantined for citrus greening in California. APHIS established a new quarantined area in the Ramona area of San Diego County of 93 square miles. The agency also expanded the quarantined area in …
The Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa (CGA) on April 1 released its citrus export estimates for 2026, which point to continued growth. The report includes estimates of all varieties, excluding late mandarins (which make up the bulk of the mandarin crop). Taking the historic trajectory of late mandarins into account, total citrus exports are expected to increase by approximately …
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and state agriculture officials recently updated fruit fly quarantines in California and Texas. CALIFORNIA: ORIENTAL FRUIT FLY (OFF) On March 23, APHIS and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) removed the OFF quarantine in Riverside and San Bernardino counties, designated the Jurupa Valley quarantine. This …
By Brenda Eubanks Burnette In the early 1910s, when the promise of drained land and new opportunity was drawing settlers into the interior of what would become Indian River County, one place stood at the center of the excitement: the Indian River Farms Company Demonstration Farm. Set on a 10-acre plot 2 miles west of town, it became both a …
A Spanish project is working on the extraction and recovery of orange and mandarin pectin to develop edible inks capable of being printed directly on food. The project also includes the development of a sensor that marks the deterioration of food. Pectin is a soluble natural fiber with gelling properties. The research team focuses on formulating and obtaining inks with …
The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Wedgworth Leadership Institute for Agriculture and Natural Resources is soliciting nominations for Class XIII of its two-year leadership development program. The program includes 11 multi-day seminars throughout Florida, the United States and internationally to develop leaders. Class XIII will begin in Gainesville in November. LEADERSHIP GOALS The goal of …
Research conducted in China may hold significant implications for the sustainable development of citriculture amid the ongoing global HLB epidemic. The work offers novel insights into vascular immunity and plant defense responses. The article (Single-nucleus transcriptomics reveals the cellular immune responses to Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus in rough lemon) appeared in the January 2026 issue of Horticulture Research. The authors are …
The Florida Citrus Show marked another successful event in March in Fort Pierce. The show provided attendees with a fun, informative day to learn about citrus and specialty crops while engaging with exhibitors during the tailgate-style trade show. CRAFT UPDATE Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) programs have been very popular with growers and have incentivized new citrus plantings across …
Water management is a major challenge facing agriculture in California and other dry regions. A new University of California Riverside (UCR) system can map soil moisture tree by tree, so growers water only where and when it’s needed. The system, detailed in the journal Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, is the work of Elia Scudiero’s research group. Scudiero is associate …
The 2025 crop acreage reporting period required for specialty crop producers who want to apply for the Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers (ASCF) Program has been reopened. Specialty crop producers now have until April 24 to report 2025 acres to FSA. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency (USDA FSA) announced the reopening. The ASCF program is designed to help address market disruptions, elevated input costs, persistent inflation and …
By Jawwad A. Qureshi Natural enemies are the beneficial organisms that control insect and mite pests. Citrus trees produce most of their young shoots (flush) for the year in spring and will continue to produce more in summer and fall. Arthropod activity has already started in citrus groves. For example, overwintering Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) adults have started reproducing. Other …
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) research found that supplemental nutrition mitigates HLB symptoms and improves fruit quality and shelf-life of Sugar Belle and Tango mandarins. Faisal Shahzad, Tripti Vashisth, Mark Ritenour and Jeffrey Brecht, all with UF/IFAS, authored an article in the Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science about the research. The article …
Citrus and specialty crop growers will have a great opportunity this summer to gather, learn and connect at the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo. The event is set for Aug. 12–13 at the Caloosa Sound Convention Center in Fort Myers. The annual Expo brings together citrus and specialty crop producers for two days focused on practical education and valuable industry …
Researchers from Queen’s University Belfast have found that consuming a diet rich in flavonoids such as berries, apples and citrus may help people feel happier and more optimistic over time. The research, co-led by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, is one of the first large-scale studies to examine the role of flavonoids in psychological wellbeing. Flavonoids are …
By Peter Chaires Nurseries and growers are continuously searching for suitable substitutes for Hamlin sweet orange to supply the early/mid-season orange juice market. Besides traditional sweet oranges, many new hybrids are in various stages of development. Some of these are likely to rise to the level of commercial viability in the orange-like category. Growers wanting to trial an orange-like hybrid …
