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 …

Florida Citrus Packers

Citrus Hall of Fame Names New Inductees

Ernie NeffAwards

George F. Hamner Jr., of Vero Beach, and the late A. Tillis Edwards Jr. and Edward A. Taylor, both of Lakeland, will be inducted into the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame in 2022. The inductions will take place during a Citrus Celebration Luncheon scheduled for Oct. 14 at Florida Southern College in Lakeland. A. TILLIS EDWARDS JR. Edwards was a …

A Bright Spot on a Rainy Day

Tacy CalliesAwards

The ongoing pandemic and a dreary day of relentless rain did not stop the Florida citrus industry from gathering to celebrate four of its most outstanding members. On Nov. 5, approximately 350 people convened at Florida Southern College in Lakeland to honor the 2021 members of the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame. This year, the event was also live-streamed for …

Juice Company CEO Honored

Ernie NeffAwards

Natalie’s Orchid Island Juice Company founder and CEO Marygrace Sexton has been included in Inc. Magazine’s 2021 Female Founders 100. Inc. editors and writers reviewed thousands of applications to identify the 100 female founders who continued to triumph in a year filled with many challenges. “The 100 women highlighted on this list are inspiring, creative, tenacious and trailblazing role models …

Florida citrus industry

Citrus Hall of Fame Nominations Due Nov. 1

Ernie NeffAwards

Nominations for the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame class of 2022 are due by Nov. 1, 2021, just four days before the class of 2021 is inducted. Eligible nominees are industry leaders who made significant contributions to the Florida citrus industry as pioneers or in the areas of harvesting, packing, processing, marketing, science or education. Nominations received after Nov. 1 …

Australian Tree Map Tool Honored

Ernie NeffAwards, International

The Australian Tree Crop Map Dashboard won first place at the 2021 Esri User Conference. The conference is the world’s largest event dedicated to geographic information system technology. The tool is freely available and interactively summarizes the extent of avocado, citrus, macadamia and mango orchards, banana plantations and olive groves. It helps those industries make informed and timely decisions for biosecurity …

grapefruit

Gmitter Earns High Honor

Ernie NeffAwards

Fred. G. Gmitter Jr. has been named a 2021 Fellow by the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS). Gmitter is a professor of horticulture and a citrus breeder at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) in Lake Alfred. Being recognized as a Fellow is the ASHS’ highest honor. Fellows …

IRREC Student and Researcher Honored

Ernie NeffAwards

A University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) doctoral student and the researcher who oversees his work have received awards from the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS). Student Lukas Hallman won the first Graduate Student Scholars Award. Researcher Lorenzo Rossi received the Professional Early Career Award. Both are at the UF/IFAS Indian River Research and Education …

Valencia Grove Design Research Earns Award

Ernie NeffAwards

Scientists who showed that high-density plantings yield considerably more Valencia oranges, among other findings, have been honored by the American Society for Horticultural Science. Researchers Rhuanito “Johnny” Ferrarezi, Mark Ritenour and Alan Wright won the society’s Outstanding Fruit Publication Award. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researchers work at the Indian River Research and Education Center …

Dundee CUPS Project Awarded

Ernie NeffAwards, CUPS, Irrigation

A citrus under protective screen (CUPS) project in Dundee, Florida, has received the 2021 Vanguard Award from the Irrigation Association (IA). The award honors an innovative project in the irrigation industry executed by a team of individuals, companies, organizations or other group entities. Projects chosen for the award exemplify the IA’s mission of promoting efficient irrigation.   The partners in …

Cutrale Achieves Sustainability Gold Score

Ernie NeffAwards

Cutrale recently announced it has achieved a gold score in sustainability for all its orange farms in Brazil and the United States. The award is from the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative (SAI) – Farm Sustainability Assessment (FSA), a widely recognized sustainability standard. The FSA was developed by the SAI to enable food and beverage businesses from all crops and countries to …

Wilbur-Ellis Offers $25,000 Student Innovation Award

Ernie NeffAwards

In celebration of its 100th anniversary, Wilbur-Ellis is launching the Wilbur-Ellis Innovation Award. A $25,000 prize for the best idea presented is intended to encourage young people to find innovative ways to feed a growing world population. The Innovation Award invites student teams from U.S. colleges and universities to propose new and better approaches for providing food for more people. …

Change in Grove Practices Leads to Award

Ernie NeffAwards

Brad Turner has worked in Florida citrus more than 40 years as a grower, production manager, caretaker and nursery owner. For most of that time, he focused on using synthetic fertilizers, fungicides, insecticides and herbicides as the necessary inputs for citrus management. But a change in the way he thought citrus should be grown led to him being named a …

Citrus Research Operations Manager Honored

Ernie NeffAwards

Thomas “Tom” James, citrus horticulture research operations manager at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences’ (UF/IFAS) Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC), recently received a UF/IFAS Superior Accomplishment Award. At the IRREC, James facilitates a team of 17 visiting scientists, agricultural assistants and interns who perform field activities in two citrus groves on university property …

Highlands County Youth Citrus Project Winners

Ernie NeffAwards

Rylan Turner’s tree was crowned Grand Champion of the Highlands County Youth Citrus Project, and Christopher Garrison’s tree garnered the Reserve Grand Champion award. Those two trees were sold in a live auction during the livestock auction night at the Highlands County Fair on Feb. 18. Lykes Bros. purchased the Grand Champion tree for $1,400 and Big T Tire bought …

Looking for Environmental Leaders

Ernie NeffAwards, Environment

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) is accepting nominations for the Agricultural-Environmental Leadership Award. The award recognizes agricultural producers who demonstrate leadership in developing and implementing innovative techniques to safeguard the environment and conserve natural resources. Nominations must be submitted to FDACS by April 15, 2021. The nomination form and more information about the award can be …

Teal Earns Top Farm Bureau Award

Ernie NeffAwards

Lowell Teal, former executive director of the Orange County Farm Bureau, received Florida Farm Bureau’s most prestigious honor, the Distinguished Service Award. Florida Farm Bureau President John Hoblick presented the award on Oct. 8. Of special interest to the citrus industry, Teal is credited with being instrumental in pioneering the microsprinkler irrigation system for Florida citrus growers statewide. In addition …