2023 Citrus Achievement Award Winner Announced

Josh McGillAwards

Florida Grower magazine chose Glenn Beck as the 2023 Citrus Achievement Award winner. He is featured in the magazine’s June cover story. For more than 20 years, the people who have won the award have helped shape the history of the state’s citrus sector. Some years, selecting a winner is an easy process because the person checks so many boxes. …

HLB Researcher Honored

Josh McGillAwards, Brazil

Fundecitrus researcher Marcelo Pedreira de Miranda has received the Outstanding Citriculture Engineer-Agronomist Award from the 48th Expocitrus and 44th Citriculture Week. The Brazilian entomologist, whose main studies are related to HLB, has worked at Fundecitrus since 2008. The award ceremony where Miranda was honored was part of the opening afternoon of the exhibition week and was attended by authorities and …

Brite Leaf Citrus Nursery Awarded

Josh McGillAwards, nurseries

The 2023 winners of Florida’s Agricultural-Environmental Leadership Award are Brite Leaf Citrus Nursery, Rocking K Cattle and Island Grove Wine Company. The winners were announced May 30 by Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson. Agricultural-Environmental Leadership Awards have been presented annually since 1994 and spotlight environmentally innovative growers and ranchers who share a commitment to protecting and preserving Florida’s resources …

environmental

Nominate a Worthy Woman in Florida Agriculture

Josh McGillAwards

Nominations for the Woman of the Year in Agriculture Award, sponsored by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) in conjunction with the Florida State Fair Authority, are now being accepted. All nominations must be submitted by Aug. 1. The award annually recognizes the achievements of women who have made outstanding contributions to Florida agriculture. “The Woman of …

Seeking Environmental Stewards

Josh McGillAwards, Environment

The Florida Farm Bureau Federation County Alliance for Responsible Environmental Stewardship (FFBF CARES) is seeking nominations of farmers and ranchers who are implementing best management practices (BMPs) to enhance and conserve the state’s natural resources. Nominations will be accepted through June 16. Farmers and ranchers may nominate their own operation or that of a colleague. Learn more about the program and …

Stelinski and Wang Among UF Faculty Honored

Josh McGillAwards

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has elected 19 University of Florida faculty to its newest class. The honor recognizes extraordinary impact and achievement across disciplines. Two of those honored, Lukasz Stelinski and Nian Wang, work at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center.  Stelinski is a professor …

Florida citrus industry

Two New Florida Citrus Hall of Fame Members

Josh McGillAwards

The late F. Gilbert Bowen of Winter Haven and the late A.G. Smith of Wauchula will join the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame as the Class of 2023 inductees. They will be inducted posthumously in March 2024, along with the Class of 2024 inductees.  BOWENFor more than seven decades, Bowen (1928–2022) was a leader in his family’s operations as well …

Oswalt Earns Extension Mentor of the Year Award

Josh McGillAwards, extension

By J. Scott Angle, jangle@ufl.edu, @IFAS_VP Of all the things Chris Oswalt has delivered for the citrus industry — weather data, freeze-protection advice, Extension programming — his most valuable contribution might be his mentorship of a new generation of citrus agents. GUIDING CAREERSYou likely wouldn’t have Danielle Sprague assisting a cold-hardy citrus association in North Florida were it not for …

Wang Honored for HLB Research

Josh McGillAwards

Nian Wang, a University of Florida (UF) Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences professor, has been awarded one of the school’s 2022 Inventions of the Year for his work on HLB. Wang works in the Microbiology and Cell Science Department at the Citrus Research and Education Center. He worked on controlling HLB by mitigating cell death of the phloem tissues …

PIECES OF THE PAST: Milestones and Memorable Careers

Josh McGillAwards, Pieces of the Past

By Brenda Eubanks Burnette This month marks a milestone for the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame in several areas. First, it will mark 60 years of honoring the contributions of industry leaders. Second, the 200th member, George Hamner Jr. of Vero Beach, was inducted. In honor of these milestones, a book titled “Florida’s Citrus Pioneers: Shaping a State”has been prepared …

Packinghouse Day Featured Updates and Award

Josh McGillAwards, Events, Fresh

Over 60 citrus industry representatives gathered Aug. 25 for the 61st annual Packinghouse Day at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred. They heard updates on H-2A visa options for packinghouse workforce needs, an overview of citrus fruit export requirements and an update on food safety auditing. Faculty …

Woman of the Year in Agriculture Named

Josh McGillAwards, Florida

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) named Madeline Mellinger the 2022 Woman of the Year in Agriculture. Mellinger founded Glades Crop Care, Inc. in 1972 and is still the company’s chief operating officer. Glades Crop Care provides integrated pest management and crop counseling services to more than 65,000 acres of plants and more than 60 varieties of fresh …

Florida Citrus Hall of Fame Ceremonies to Be Oct. 14

Josh McGillAwards, Events

The 2022 Florida Citrus Hall of Fame induction ceremonies will be held Friday, Oct. 14 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Florida Southern College’s (FSC) George W. Jenkins Fieldhouse. The college is at 111 Lake Hollingsworth Drive in Lakeland.  The event is sponsored by Florida Citrus Mutual, the Florida Department of Citrus and the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame, …

Nominations Now Open for the Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame

Josh McGillAwards, Industry News Release

The Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame is now accepting nominations for its class of 2023 inductees. The Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame honors producers, commodity leaders, educators, scientists and others who have made significant contributions to the production of food in Florida. The online nomination form is available on the Florida Ag Hall of Fame website. Visit floridaaghalloffame.org and click …

Juice Company Founder Becomes Hall of Famer

Josh McGillAwards, Industry News Release, Orange Juice

Natalie’s Orchid Island Juice Company founder and CEO Marygrace Sexton has been inducted into the Specialty Food Association Hall of Fame. Sexton started the company more than 30 years ago with a single, used juicing machine, no contracts and a small production space. Today, the company has two facilities in Fort Pierce, Florida, and distributes its juices in 32 states …

Florida Citrus Industry Conference Draws Record Crowd

Josh McGillAwards, Events, HLB Management

Citrus growers and industry stakeholders gathered in Bonita Springs last week for the Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference. After being sidelined the previous two years due to COVID-19, the conference drew a record crowd of more than 500 registered attendees. The event, hosted by Florida Citrus Mutual, was packed with educational programming and meetings for various industry groups. The Citrus …

Recognizing Innovators in Food Security

Josh McGillAwards, Food Safety

UPL, a global agricultural solutions company, recently announced the Allies for Agriculture initiative. The program was created to recognize those who are advancing and transforming agriculture to ensure food security. Nominations are being accepted here, and winners will be announced on a bimonthly basis beginning in July 2022. In addition to recognizing the contributions that each winner has made, UPL …

FarmSense Pest-Monitoring System Awarded

Josh McGillAwards, California Corner, Pests

FarmSense, Inc. was recently selected as one of two winners of the inaugural Riverside Angel Summit, a partnership between University of California, Riverside (UCR), the City of Riverside and community members. The Riverside Angel Summit is a program created to foster a thriving angel investment culture in the Riverside region by connecting investors to high-quality, vetted local entrepreneurs. FarmSense emerged …

Seeking Agricultural-Environmental Leadership Award Nominations

Josh McGillAwards, Environment, Florida

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) has opened the nomination period for the 2022 Agricultural-Environmental Leadership Award. Nominations must be submitted to FDACS by April 15, 2022. Get the nomination form here. “Through work in soil and conservation, pesticide and nutrient management, wildlife habitat conservation, and so much more … significant environmental contributions are the backbone of …