florida orange

A Methodical and Safe Approach to Help Florida Citrus

Josh McGill Citrus, Florida

By Ben Albritton Florida’s farmers depend on healthy soil and clean water to produce crops. It’s how my family has grown citrus, strawberries and cattle for more than four generations. The quality of our natural resources has a direct impact on our crops and livelihood. I am a fifth-generation Floridian who was raised by a line of farmers, ranchers and …

georgia citrus association

Row Crop Farmers Starting to Grow Citrus

Josh McGill Alternative Crops, Citrus, Florida, Georgia

Citrus acreage continues to increase across the North Florida, South Georgia and South Alabama regions. Interest has expanded to large row crop farmers, who see citrus as a viable alternative crop, said Kim Jones at the Feb. 17 Citrus Health Forum meeting at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences North Florida Research and Education Center. Jones …

Ag Associations Seek to Block Chlorpyrifos Ban

Tacy Callies Citrus, Legal, Pesticides

Several agricultural associations filed suit in federal court Feb. 10 seeking to block the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from prohibiting the use of the pesticide chlorpyrifos on food crops beginning Feb. 28. The Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association is among those seeking the action. According to the American Soybean Association, which is one of those suing, the agricultural associations …

Be Alert for Citrus Canker in Alabama

Josh McGill Citrus, Diseases

Alabama Cooperative Extension implores growers to be on the lookout for symptoms of citrus canker disease in their trees. Commercial growers need to scout their trees regularly to stop the disease’s potential spread, says Kassie Conner, Alabama Extension specialist. “What we need people to do right now is look for these symptoms and report it if they find it,” Conner …

Focus on Australian Citrus Safety

Josh McGill Citrus, Export/Import, Food Safety, International

Citrus Australia reported on a new project focused on food safety in citrus. The project aims to mitigate microbial food-safety risks associated with the production, postharvest handling and supply of citrus to consumers in domestic and export markets. S.P. Singh with the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries will lead the project. The Australian citrus industry exports oranges and …

Texas Canker Quarantine Expanded Again

Josh McGill Citrus, Diseases, Texas

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) have established five new quarantine areas for citrus canker in Brazoria, Galveston and Harris counties, Texas. They also expanded two existing quarantine areas for citrus canker in Brazoria, Fort Bend and Harris Counties, Texas, to prevent the spread of the disease. …

Freeze Damage Update for Florida Citrus

Josh McGill Citrus, Florida, Fruit Drop, Weather

Cold temperatures the mornings of Jan. 29 and Jan. 30 did more citrus damage than an initial report indicated, Highlands County Citrus Growers Association Executive Director Ray Royce said. Royce issued the following update on Feb. 1: “The coldest weather in at least four to five years has left much more damage behind in parts of the South-Central Florida region …

Plight of Florida Citrus Growers Addressed

Josh McGill Citrus, Florida

Michael Rogers addresses the plight of Florida citrus growers, upcoming educational events and recruitment of new University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) personnel. Rogers is director of the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) in Lake Alfred. Rogers says reports of progressively lower citrus yields, coupled with rising costs of grove inputs, have “really made …

Protect Your Citrus Groves with Extinguish® Fire Ant Baits

Josh McGill Citrus, Sponsored Content

At Central Life Sciences, we recognize our role in educating citrus growers on the importance of protecting their citrus investment from fire ants. Our solutions provide growers with effective and economical products. For citrus growers looking to protect and grow their investment, it is important to not overlook the threat of fire ants. Fire ants are a common insect threat …

The Secret Ingredient of Developing New Citrus Rootstocks

Tacy Callies Citrus, Rootstocks

By Bill Castle Creation, evaluation, release and commercial acceptance are dynamic, interactive activities that together constitute new rootstock development. Underpinning each of them is a commonly overlooked and rarely mentioned activity, professional judgment. Yet, it is something everyone has and recognizes as getting better with time and experience. It is a skill developed and refined over time from knowledge of …

Everette H. Fischer Remembered

Ernie Neff Citrus

Everette H. Fischer, a citrus grower and former general manager of Winter Garden Citrus Growers Association (WGCGA), died April 5. Fischer, who was born Oct. 9, 1933 in Gotha, Florida, learned the art of citrus caretaking by hand as a young boy working with his uncles. After attending the University of Florida, he worked as a county agent helping farmers …

Scout Early Bloom for PFD

Tacy Callies Citrus, Diseases, Tip of the Week

By Andre B. Gama and Megan M. Dewdney Postbloom fruit drop (PFD) of citrus is a disease caused mostly by the fungus Colletotrichum acutatum. This fungus survives by producing resting structures on leaves and stems. When flowers start to appear in groves, these resting structures produce spores that can cause PFD. However, the fungus requires specific weather conditions to be …

USDA to Purchase Citrus Products

Tacy Callies Citrus

Mike Sparks, Florida Citrus Mutual executive vice president/CEO, reported that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced another round of citrus purchases totaling almost $48 million. The breakdown includes $10 million worth of orange juice, $7.5 million worth of grapefruit juice, $25 million in fresh oranges and $5 million in fresh grapefruit. The USDA purchases will be for distribution to …

Orange You Glad to Meet Miss Florida Citrus?

Tacy Callies Citrus

By Brenda Eubanks Burnette Leila Sabet, Miss Florida Citrus 2020, virtually started her year of service in June by competing in the very first virtual Miss America preliminary pageant in Florida. Due to COVID-19, Miss Florida Citrus appearances have not been as prolific as in past years. However, as restrictions have eased, Sabet has been invited to several industry events.  …

John Gose: Serving Youth and Industry

Tacy Callies Citrus

Ray Royce readily acknowledges grower and nurseryman John Gose’s many contributions to the Florida citrus industry, including serving “on way too many advisory committees to list.” Gose has even been president of the Highlands County Citrus Growers Association, where Royce is executive director. PROGRAM LEADERSHIPBut it’s not Gose’s work with growers that most impresses the association executive. “I always think …

Trade Issues for Fresh Florida Citrus

Tacy Callies Citrus

Dan Richey, president of Riverfront Packing Company, gave an update on trade issues impacting fresh Florida citrus during the recent virtual citrus Packinghouse Day meeting. Richey, also a member of the Agricultural Trade Advisory Committee, says foreign sales are especially important for Florida citrus.  One of the biggest topics of trade conversation is the effects on the market since the …

Made in the Shade

Tacy Callies Citrus, Production

Feral citrus growing in natural hammocks reveals insights about production and HLB. By Christopher Vincent and Anirban Guha Would you rather go outside in August and stand for a few hours in the sun or in the shade? It turns out citrus prefers the shade, too. In the past two years, we have been researching the health of citrus growing …

psyllids

IPM Approaches to Reduce Psyllid Populations

Tacy Callies Citrus, Psyllids

Lukasz Stelinski recently shared integrated pest management strategies for reducing Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) populations to optimize tree health and yield. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences professor of entomology and nematology presented the information during the 2020 virtual Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference. Even with approximately 100 percent of Florida citrus trees infected with huanglongbing …

Citrus Salesperson Kay Hiatt Remembered

Ernie Neff Citrus, sales

Kiyo Ueda Hiatt, 94, died July 11 at Treasure Coast Hospice – Harper House in Stuart, Florida. She began working more than 50 years ago at Deerfield Groves in Florida. Hiatt worked in sales in the citrus industry and served on several Florida Department of Citrus subcommittees. She was a pioneer for women in the Florida citrus industry. Kay, as …