Connect and Learn at the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo

Jim Rogers Citrus Expo, Education, Tip of the Week

By Jamie D. Burrow and Ruth Borger The Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo has always been a time for the industry to gather, learn and reminiscence. During the Expo at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa on Aug. 16–17, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Extension booth is in a new location near the …

UF/IFAS Educational Programs at Expo

Jim Rogers Citrus Expo, Education

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) citrus researchers and Extension staff will provide multiple educational programs at the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo Aug. 16–17. The event will be held at a new location this year — the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa. Attendance is free to growers, but registration is required. UF faculty and staff …

Rossi Selected for Leadership Training

Jim Rogers Education

Lorenzo Rossi, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) assistant professor, has been selected to train in the American Society for Horticultural Science’s Leadership Academy. Rossi leads a team of 15 associates who perform research to support high-value crops, including citrus, at the UF/IFAS Indian River Research and Education Center in Fort Pierce. He was selected for …

Angle Named University of Florida Interim Provost

Jim Rogers Education, Florida

J. Scott Angle, head of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), will serve as UF’s interim provost when Joseph Glover steps down in July. Angle will continue to lead UF/IFAS with executive decision making and strategic direction. Robert Gilbert, current UF/IFAS dean of research, will handle day-to-day administration for the organization in the interim. In …

Citrus Research Board to Host Webinar Series

Jim Rogers California Corner, Education

California’s Citrus Research Board (CRB) has announced its 2023 Citrus Growers Educational Webinar Series. CRB will hold four one-hour webinars on Tuesdays at 10:00 a.m. The dates are June 6, 13, 20 and 27. Each webinar will highlight valuable research and practical discussions for growers. Here’s the lineup: JUNE 6Topic: Tree Density and Pruning Affect Fruit Numbers, Size, Quality and …

Citrus Pest Management Course Offered

Jim Rogers Education, Pests

Citrus industry workers interested in learning more about citrus pest management are encouraged to enroll in Citrus Pest Management, a 16-week course taught by University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) faculty in the fall of 2023. The class provides a comprehensive overview of citrus pests and how best to manage them in today’s citrus greening environment. …

Seminar Speakers Share Latest Citrus Research

Jim Rogers Education, Events, Research

The citrus session at the Florida Grower Citrus Show started off with a special award acknowledgement by Ron Cave, director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC). Cave recognized Pasco Avery for his induction into the 2022 class of the IPM Hall of Fame from the Southern IPM …

Pelz-Stelinski to Lead Mid-Florida Center

Jim Rogers Education, Florida, Research

Kirsten Pelz-Stelinski will become director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Mid-Florida Research and Education Center (MREC) in Apopka on Aug. 1. She is currently an entomology professor and associate center director of the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) in Lake Alfred. Pelz-Stelinski will lead faculty, staff and students at the MREC. …

Leader Development Program Seeks Applicants

Jim Rogers Education

Applications are open until June 16 for those interested in being part of Class 13 of the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association (FFVA) Emerging Leader Development Program (ELDP). ELDP, administered by the Florida Specialty Crop Foundation, was launched in 2011 to identify and develop leaders to be strong advocates for Florida agriculture. Program sessions provide a wealth of information about …

Seeking Wedgworth Leadership Class Nominations

Jim Rogers Education, Florida

The Wedgworth Leadership Institute for Agriculture and Natural Resources (WLIANR) is soliciting nominations for Class XII of its two-year leadership development program. The program is sponsored by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). Nominations close June 1 and applications are due no later than June 15. Self-nominations are accepted. Class XII will begin in Gainesville …

Citrus Institute: One-Stop Learning Opportunity for Growers

Jim Rogers Education, Events, Tip of the Week

By Ruth Borger Keeping up with the latest news and research findings that impact how growers can successfully produce citrus in the HLB era can be an overwhelming task. Tracking down the right information at the right time for the changing conditions that face citrus growers takes time, effort and persistence. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences …

Taking Fertilizer Knowledge to the Next Level

Jim Rogers Education, Nutrition

The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) has launched a new online graduate certificate program for agricultural professionals. “The certificate program is called Fertilizer Science and Technology, offered completely online at the student’s pace and oriented to growers, consultants, suppliers and regulators,” says Kelly Morgan, UF/IFAS professor of soil fertility and water management. The certificate is …

Scholarship Opportunity for Ag Students

Tacy Callies Education, Scholarship

Agriculture students at four Florida colleges and universities can apply for Florida Fertilizer & Agrichemical Association (FFAA) Ag Scholarships by Sept. 9. The schools are Florida A&M University (FAMU), Florida Southern College (FSC), University of Florida (UF) and Warner University. The FFAA Scholarship Fund offers scholarships to qualified upper-level university and college students in agriculture or a very closely-related major. The scholarships are …

Get the Newest UF/IFAS Info at the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo

Jim Rogers Citrus Expo, Education, Tip of the Week

By Jamie Burrow and Ruth Borger Over the last several months, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) citrus team has been preparing for the annual Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo. The excitement is in the air as many faculty are preparing seminar presentations on valuable information that growers may use today to support their operations. …

A Transformative Program

Jim Rogers Education

By J. Scott Angle Morgan McKenna always knew she’d return home some day. Three previous generations of McKennas hadn’t just made a living from citrus. They’d made a life of it. It’s a life she wanted, too. Morgan saw the family business as family first and business second. She was most interested in the emotional rewards of coming home to …

New Water School to Open at Florida Gulf Coast University

Tacy Callies Education, Water

Florida’s seashores, lakes, rivers and springs make it a unique spot in the world. In Southwest Florida, water is an area of intense focus in recent years as various sectors work to protect the resource. Florida Gulf Coast University, in Fort Myers, has established The Water School, recognizing the critical role water plays in the region. A new 114,000-square-foot teaching …

Seminar Schedule Announced for Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo

Tacy Callies Citrus Expo, Education

Growers and industry leaders should mark their calendars for this year’s Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo scheduled for Aug. 17–18 at the Lee Civic Center in North Fort Myers, Florida. Complimentary registration is available for all growers, packers, shippers, processors, association members and university researchers. Josh McGill, show director, discusses why industry members should attend this year’s event. “We’re really …

Alternative Management Tools for ACP Under Development

Jim Rogers Education, HLB Management, Psyllids

By Lourdes C. Pérez Cordero Management of the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) in the HLB era is incredibly important. This well-known insect can vector and facilitate the spread of the bacterium associated with HLB disease. Therefore, effective reduction of ACP populations can be beneficial for the citrus industry. But how exactly do we manage this pest? Unfortunately, there is not …

New SWFREC Director Named

Jim Rogers Education, Industry News Release, Research

Michael Burton has been named the next director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Southwest Florida Research and Education Center (SWFREC). He’s scheduled to start at the Immokalee facility on July 1. Burton recently served for 17 months as proxy for the dean of Missouri State University’s William H. Darr College of Agriculture. He …

Citrus Innovation Center Coming to Lakeland

Jim Rogers Education

In a public-private partnership, International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) will occupy citrus-related laboratory and creative space in a new building to be built at Florida Polytechnic University (FPU) in Lakeland. The Citrus Innovation Center will be financed, built, operated, maintained and owned by private entities. Randy K. Avent, president of FPU, said that having a solid research partner such as …