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By Fernando Alferez, Ute Albrecht, Ozgur Batuman, Jawwad Qureshi and Saoussen Ben Abdallah Individual protective covers (IPCs), which are psyllid-exclusion mesh bags, are increasingly being adopted to efficiently protect newly planted citrus trees from huanglongbing (HLB) infection. However, IPCs typically must be removed after two to three years due to tree growth. Early evidence indicates that brassinosteroids (Brs), a relatively …
On Dec. 9, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service reported the Florida orange forecast at 46 million boxes. Total orange production is down 2% from the October forecast but down 13% from last season’s final utilization. The decrease is in Florida non-Valencia production, which now stands at 18 million boxes. Current droppage is above average and …
Florida citrus company and landowner Alico, Inc. saw harvested boxes of fruit decrease during the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30 but got a boost from higher prices linked to consumer demand for orange juice. The company reported this in federal Securities and Exchange Commission filings released Tuesday. Alico said it harvested 6.4 million boxes of fruit during the year, …
Members of the Florida citrus industry gathered for lunch on Oct. 12 at Putnam Ranch in Zolfo Springs to hear the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) initial 2021-22 citrus crop forecast. While many growers expected the Florida figures to be similar to the 2020-21 season, some thought the numbers would be even lower. On the other hand, a few growers …
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) final 2020-2021 Florida orange forecast is 52.8 million boxes. California orange production edged out Florida with 54.5 million boxes of oranges. Texas oranges remained at 1.05 million boxes. The final Florida orange total is comprised of 22.7 million boxes of non-Valencia oranges (early, midseason and Navel varieties), unchanged from the June forecast, and 30.1 …
On June 10, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service reported the Florida orange forecast at 52.7 million boxes. Total orange production is up 2% from the May forecast but down 22% from last season’s final utilization. The forecast for Florida non-Valencia orange production is 22.7 million boxes, unchanged from the previous forecast. The Navel forecast, included …
Industry leaders recommend the Four Rs as a guide for applicators and producers. The guidelines are critical for protecting pollinators, retaining product efficacy and ultimately saving the producer money. In the latest episode of the BeSure! campaign from the Growing Matters Coalition, Syngenta’s Agronomic Service Representative Garrett Gilcrease said the Four Rs include the right place, right time, right rate and …
“Many of the issues we see with pesticide misapplications really come down to communication — essentially an applicator not necessarily knowing what a beekeeper is doing and vice versa,” Bayer Industry Affairs Lead Frank Wong said in the latest episode of the BeSure! campaign from the Growing Matters Coalition. The episode details the importance of growers and beekeepers being on the …
The February Florida orange forecast released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is 56 million boxes, up 2 million boxes from the January forecast. This represents a 4 percent increase from the January forecast. If realized, it will be 17 percent less than last season’s final production. ORANGESThe forecast change was for non-Valencia production, which now stands at 22 …
Using the exact label rate for products is vital for growers and applicators. The BeSure campaign from the Growing Matters Coalition is reminding the industry that not doing so can lead to ineffective treatments and even pesticide resistance. University of Florida Assistant Professor of Agronomy Brett Bultemeier emphasizes the importance of strictly adhering to the product label and proper application …
Florida citrus growers hit hard by citrus greening can benefit from University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) expertise in an updated book — the third edition of the Nutrition of Florida Citrus Trees. Greening, known scientifically as huanglongbing (HLB), has caused significant damage to Florida’s citrus industry. UF/IFAS scientists and Extension faculty have updated the guide …
On April 28, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio and U.S. Sen. Rick Scott sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue asking him to reverse a decision to let five varieties of citrus fruits be imported from China. The senators’ letter follows an April 24 letter from 17 U.S. representatives from Florida, who made the same request to Perdue. …
The Florida Automated Weather Network (FAWN), a University of Florida-operated service aiding agricultural decision-makers statewide since 1997, relaunched its website with a new look and additional features. “Our main goal in revamping the site was to make it more efficient for users,” said Rick Lusher, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) project manager for FAWN. “One …
By Clint Thompson April is Invasive Plant Pest and Disease Awareness Month, and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) wants help in identifying invasive species that threaten the food supply and cause plant diseases. Samantha Simon, USDA’s executive director of emergency and domestic programs, says invasive species can threaten agriculture and many farming operations, especially in the Southeast. She …
While the scenery may have changed, the work remains the same for the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) citrus faculty and Extension agents. “The coronavirus pandemic has altered the daily routine but not our mission to provide research and educational service to the citrus industry,” said Michael Rogers, director of the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and …
The BeSure! program, brought to you by the Growing Matters Coalition, is reminding growers about the importance of following product usage directions. Syngenta’s Garrett Gilcrease said labels are living documents that can be updated regularly. As producers and applicators plan for spring foliar applications, he reminds the industry to check product labels and adhere to the guidelines for all-around safety and good …
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is authorizing the importation of five types of commercially produced fresh citrus fruit from China into the continental United States. After thorough analysis, APHIS scientists determined that pummelo, Nanfeng honey mandarin, ponkan, sweet orange and Satsuma mandarin fruit from China can be safely imported into the United States …
The 2019–20 Florida all-orange forecast released on April 9 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture is 70 million boxes, down 1 million boxes from the March forecast. This represents a 1 percent decrease in the expected orange crop size. Non-Valencia Oranges The forecast for Florida non-Valencia orange production is unchanged at 30 million boxes. The non-Valencia harvest is about over …
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and Florida Farm Bureau President John L. Hoblick held a town hall meeting on Thursday with the state’s agriculture community on pressing issues. Some of the topics of discussion included: Ensuring agriculture and all related industries are essential at the federal, state and local levels. Promoting the continued and efficient processing of H-2A worker visas. Inter- and intra-state weight waivers for …
Ned Hancock, chairman of the Florida Citrus Commission (FCC), reports that concerns over COVID-19 are increasing the demand for healthy foods and beverages, including orange juice. The FCC is the governing body of the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC). “A Nielsen retail sales report indicates that many Americans are turning to 100 percent orange juice (OJ) during this time,” says …
