Growers Discuss Crop Conditions, Bactericides and More

Ernie NeffBactericides

Highlands County Extension Director and Citrus Extension Agent Laurie Hurner summarizes discussions at a grower forum she hosted in Sebring on Aug. 23. Crop conditions and bactericides for HLB were among topics discussed. “We heard that the crop is looking good,” Hurner says. “I think people were optimistic, but they were also hesitant in their optimism.” She points out that …

New Planting Options for Citrus Growers

Tacy CalliesVarieties

By Fred Gmitter, Ed Stover, Randy Driggers, Greg McCollum and Jude Grosser The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service citrus breeding program has a long history of releasing successful scion and rootstock cultivars. There had been a 15-year lapse in creating new hybrids, and the recently released cultivars largely reflect breeding efforts that preceded the onslaught of HLB …

Greening

Steve Smith Named New Leader of Gulf Citrus Growers Association

Tacy CalliesIndustry News Release

Steven M. “Steve” Smith has been named executive vice president/general manager of the Gulf Citrus Growers Association (GCGA). He will begin his employment at GCGA on Aug. 1, 2018. Smith previously was employed by Alico, Inc., Babcock Ranch Management and the Peace River Valley Citrus Growers Association, where he served as executive director. Smith is a graduate of the University …

hurricane

Growers Hear About Hurricane Recovery Funding

Ernie Neffhurricane

Approximately 120 growers attended a Monday night meeting in Lake Alfred to learn about eligibility and application requirements for federal relief funds in the wake of Hurricane Irma. Irma hit the Florida citrus industry hard in September 2017. The federal government only recently ironed out details of a citrus relief program for growers totaling hundreds of millions of dollars. The …

production

Growers Discuss Production Levels

Ernie NeffProduction

The level of fruit production in groves was one of the major topics discussed at a citrus grower roundtable meeting on May 15 in Wauchula, Florida. Several growers said their per-acre production increased this season, but one said he had huge production declines. One grower said his Valencia crop doubled. Another said he had a 50 percent crop increase, adding …

Gulf Citrus Growers Association

Gulf Citrus Growers Association Accepting Applications for New Administrator

Tacy CalliesIndustry News Release

The Gulf Citrus Growers Association’s (GCGA) Executive and Long-Range Planning Committees recently announced that the association is now accepting applications for the organization’s executive vice president/general manager position. The GCGA leadership is actively engaged in the search for the association’s next top administrator. The position will be vacated in late September by Ron Hamel, who has led the Southwest Florida …

Citrus Growers Needed for Survey Participation

Tacy CalliesEconomics

Ariel Singerman, University of Florida assistant professor, will be conducting his annual production cost survey for processed oranges grown in Southwest Florida. The survey will consist of grower meetings in two locations. The first meeting will take place on May 18 at 9:00 a.m. at the Hendry County Extension Office (Dallas Townsend Ag Center) in LaBelle. To confirm your participation in …

Crime

Bloom Good, but Growers ‘Waiting on Pins and Needles’

Ernie NeffCrop Forecast

Citrus bloom has been good this year, but growers are anxious to see what fruit set will be this summer, says Highlands County grower Ned Hancock. “We were encouraged by the bloom,” Hancock says. “Everybody was scared after (Hurricane) Irma, (about) what would happen. We’re all kind of waiting on pins and needles to see what kind of crop we …

Exclusive: Perdue Discusses Hurricane Aid for Growers

Abbey TaylorCitrus, hurricane

On May 1, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released details about the 2017 Wildfires and Hurricanes Indemnity Program (WHIP), which includes financial aid to growers impacted by Hurricane Irma and other natural disasters. The information covered everything from eligibility to the formula that will be used to calculate payments. AgNet Media’s Abbey Taylor had the opportunity to get some exclusive …

hurricane

Sales Tax Rebate for Growers Who Suffered Hurricane Damage

Daniel Cooperhurricane, Industry News Release

The Florida Legislature and Governor Rick Scott have approved a sales tax rebate program for agricultural producers and growers who suffered damages due to Hurricane Irma. Florida Farm Bureau has offered a dedicated webpage as a resource to farmers and ranchers who can take advantage of this opportunity at www.FloridaFarmBureau.org/hurricanetaxrebate. On March 23, Governor Rick Scott signed a sales tax …

crop forecast

Tree Assistance Program Tweaked to Help Citrus Growers

Tacy CalliesLegislative

By Michael W. Sparks Florida Citrus Mutual, the citrus industry and our Congressional delegation continue to work with Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam on obtaining federal relief payments from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for citrus groves damaged by Hurricane Irma. Once specifics are unveiled, we will get them to you as soon as possible. In the meantime, I wanted …

Georgia Department of Ag Assisting Citrus Growers with Marketing

Abbey TaylorCitrus

The Georgia Department of Agriculture is working to promote the ever-growing Georgia citrus industry. Matthew Kulinski, deputy director of marketing for the Georgia Department of Agriculture, led a presentation at the Georgia Citrus Association Conference to inform growers that the department’s marketing division can help them. As the Georgia citrus industry expands, it is important for growers to know how …

growers

Citrus Growers Should Purchase Crop Insurance by April 15

Daniel CooperIndustry News Release

By Michael W. Sparks The Hurricane Irma Florida citrus relief package is moving forward and Florida Citrus Mutual (FCM) expect U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to unveil the program sometime in the next few weeks. FCM is in contact with our allies in Washington and Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam’s staff on a daily basis. Once the news breaks, we …

Growers Lose Lawsuit to Continue Ban on Argentinian Lemons

Tacy CalliesLegislative, lemons

By Brian German The ban on Argentinian lemons will not be reinstated after growers lost a lawsuit filed in May 2017, trying to keep the imports out of the United States. The lawsuit filed by the U.S. Citrus Science Council, along with five growers, claimed that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) ignored science and based its reasons to lift …

florida

Citrus Growers in Waiting Game for Hurricane Aid

Daniel Cooperhurricane, Industry News Release, Legislative

Frustration is growing among Florida citrus growers awaiting the distribution of $2.36 billion in federal disaster-relief money for agriculture losses sustained in Hurricane Irma. “We’re still waiting, maybe not as patiently as we were to start with,” Florida Citrus Commission Chairman G. Ellis Hunt said Wednesday. President Donald Trump signed the disaster-relief package in February, five months after Hurricane Irma …

On-Farm Readiness Reviews Help Growers with Produce Safety Rule

Tacy CalliesFood Safety

By Travis K. Chapin, Keith R. Schneider, Renée Goodrich Schneider, Jessica Lepper, Rachel McEgan and Michelle D. Danyluk The Produce Safety Rule (PSR) was published by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the Federal Register in November 2015 as one of seven major new regulations under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). The PSR covers activities related to …

Gulf Citrus Growers Association

Gulf Citrus Growers’ Hamel Announces Retirement

Daniel CooperIndustry News Release

After nearly 30 years of service as executive vice president/general manager of the Gulf Citrus Growers Association, Ron Hamel announced his retirement as the organization’s chief administrator. Hamel began working for the Gulf Citrus Growers Association in May of 1988, opening the association’s office in LaBelle, Florida, to support the development of the citrus industry in Southwest Florida, locally referred …

Jude Grosser: Giving Growers Better Options

Tacy CalliesBreeding

By Tacy Callies Some people start young adulthood by following in their parents’ footsteps. Jude Grosser began by following the path of his oldest brother, Tim, instead. Both went to Thomas More College and majored in biology. After that, their education and careers took different turns. Grosser thought he would work in wildlife or fisheries, but then had an opportunity …

HLB

HLB Issues Below the Soil Surface Intrigue Growers

Ernie NeffCitrus Greening, HLB Management, Research

Several citrus growers and production managers offered input on future HLB research at a meeting on Feb. 15 at the Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred. The growers shared their thoughts with members of the Citrus Research and Development Foundation’s Research Management Committee (CRDF-RMC). David Howard, CRDF-RMC chairman, provides an overview of the approximately three-hour session called specifically …

rubio

When Can Growers Expect to Receive Relief Funds?

Abbey Taylorfinancial, Legislative, Weather

Florida growers can now breathe a sigh of relief since disaster funding is coming their way. On Feb. 9, a relief package was passed to help the United States following the array of natural disasters in 2017, which included approximately $2.4 billion dollars specifically for U.S. agriculture. However, the big question on everyone’s mind is, how and when will growers …