The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is expanding the Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops (FSCSC) program to include medium-sized and small businesses. Eligible specialty crop growers can apply for assistance for expenses related to obtaining or renewing a food safety certification. The program includes assistance for 2024 and 2025 expenses. Producers can apply for assistance on their calendar year …
Stressed Farmers Turn to Alcohol to Cope
A new University of Georgia (UGA) study published in the Journal of Agromedicine reveals that one in five U.S. farmers report binge drinking alcohol when they experience high levels of stress. Farming is a uniquely stressful vocation. Farmers work long hours performing labor-intensive, repetitive and often dangerous tasks. Farming is among the 10 most dangerous jobs in the United States, …
Satsuma Pruning and Thinning Trials
University of Georgia (UGA) Extension agents Jake Price and Sydni Ingram recently shared information about UGA satsuma pruning and thinning trials. An edited version of their Cold Hardy Citrus Connection article follows: The percentage of cull fruit in satsumas is very high due to the fruit being too soft, too green or too big. Satsumas are very cold hardy, delicious, …
Using Herbicides in Hot Weather
By Ramdas Kanissery Managing weeds during the summer is crucial for Florida citrus. However, due to the high temperatures typical of Florida’s summer months, several factors must be considered when using herbicides in citrus groves during hot weather. INCREASE EFFECTIVENESS High heat and drought stress can slow plant growth and affect how herbicides move or translocate in weeds. When temperatures …
Greening Bacterium Causes Changes in Psyllids
Recent studies, including a partnership project between Fundecitrus and the University of California, revealed that the citrus greening bacterium Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus causes physiological changes in psyllids, posing additional challenges to management strategies. An increase in the number of eggs, more frequent dispersal flights over longer distances and greater attractiveness to the host are some of the changes observed in …
European Orange Production to Hit 10-Year Low
Total European Union (EU) orange production in 2023–24 is expected to be the lowest in the last 10 years, the European Commission reported. The commission said production could fall by 5.4% year-on-year, to 5.6 million tons. The expected drop in production is due to a production decline in Spain, the largest EU orange-producing country. On the other hand, production is …
CRDF Approves Project to Enhance Breeding Efforts
The Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) convened for its July board of directors meeting with several projects under consideration. The board approved funding of a work program for the plant improvement teams of the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service and the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. The project is funded for three years. It …
CLas-Positive Psyllid Sample in Riverside County
An adult Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) sample from a residential property in the San Jacinto Valley area of Riverside County, California, has tested positive for Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), the bacterium that causes huanglongbing (HLB). The positive sample was collected as part of the Multi-Pest Risk Survey on a residential property in Hemet. It was confirmed positive for CLas on …
Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisors Needed
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is requesting nominations to fill up to 25 upcoming vacancies on the Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee (FVIAC). The committee was established to develop recommendations for submission to the U.S. secretary of agriculture on issues affecting the produce industry. Nomination packages must be postmarked on or before Sept. 3. The packages should include …
No Shortage of Australian Orange Juice
Citrus Australia has assured Australian consumers they will continue to have consistent access to orange juice made from locally grown fruit. Adverse growing conditions and the spread of the huanglongbing (HLB) disease have reduced orange production in Brazil, Florida and several other key citrus-growing regions around the world. This has created a global shortage of orange juice concentrate, prompting media …
A Look at Argentine Lemon Production
Fresh lemon production in Argentina in 2023–24 is forecast to decrease by 11% to 1,700 metric tons (MT). The forecast was made in a semi-annual report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS). USDA FAS also has revised the number of fresh lemons that will be processed in 2023–24 to 1,340 MT, reflecting a 6% decrease …
Mexican Fruit Fly Quarantine Expanded in Texas
On June 27, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) expanded a Mexican fruit fly (Anastrepha ludens; Mexfly) quarantine in Harlingen, Texas. The expansion of the quarantine is in response to the confirmed detection between May 26 and June 11 of three wild mated Mexflies from traps in …
Foliar Feed Your Trees
By Mongi Zekri Foliar fertilizer application is certainly not a new concept to the citrus industry. For over six decades, foliar fertilization has been recommended to correct zinc, manganese, boron, copper and magnesium deficiencies in citrus. It is now common knowledge in agriculture that properly nourished crops may tolerate insect pests and diseases. Traditionally, citrus growers try to achieve optimum …
Tau Fruit Fly Quarantine Lifted in Los Angeles County
The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has officially declared an end to the Tau fruit fly quarantine in Los Angeles County following the successful eradication of the invasive pest. The quarantine, which was established in the Santa Clarita area of Los Angeles County, was the first-ever quarantine for the Tau fruit fly in the Western Hemisphere. It encompassed …
South Africa’s Orange and OJ Production
South Africa’s orange and orange juice (OJ) production are projected to increase in 2023–24 compared to the prior year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) reported recently. ORANGES Orange production for 2023–24 is forecast to increase to 1.69 million metric tons (MMT), from 1.63 MMT the prior year. The South African area planted in oranges is …
Partnership for Safer Pesticide Use in Georgia
The Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) has announced its collaboration with FieldWatch, a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing communication and stewardship among beekeepers, crop producers and pesticide applicators. This partnership will enable Georgia’s beekeepers and crop producers to use FieldWatch’s technology, providing a secure online registry to map apiaries and crop fields. That will ensure safer pesticide application practices. “The state …
Mandarin and Tangerine Production in Peru
For 2023–24, mandarin and tangerine production in Peru is forecast at 560,000 metric tons (MT). This is a 2% increase from the previous year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS). WEATHER CHALLENGES Weather presented several challenges for mandarin/tangerine producers. One challenge was above-average temperatures during summer (December 2023 to March 2024) due to warm …
Label Change Is Great News for Growers
Sponsored Content In this special series, Tom Johnson, owner of TJ BioTech, tackles questions about optimizing trunk-injection applications to treat HLB. Q: What does the special local need label for ReMedium TI® mean for citrus growers heading into next season? Tom Johnson: TJ BioTech recently requested a ReMedium TI® label change from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. …
‘OG’ to Promote Florida OJ
A new Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) ad campaign is likely to use the term “OG” extensively, according to new FDOC marketing agency Padilla Speer Beardsley, Inc. So, what does “OG” mean? Michelle Amoroso of Padilla explained that an OG is someone who is an original or originator, highly regarded and respected. She added that OGs are the paradigm; they …
South Korea Grants Market Access to Texas Grapefruit
Texas grapefruit growers recently gained access to a new international market in South Korea worth $5 million annually. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) negotiated the technical details that will help ensure grapefruit exported from Texas are free from pests, such as the Mexican fruit fly. On June 27, 2024, South Korea’s national …