Fallen Fruit Leads to $23 Million Loss for Alico

Josh McGillfinancial, hurricane

Hurricane Ian in late September caused substantial fruit drop at the majority of Alico Citrus’ groves, the company reported in its recent fiscal year 2022 financial results. The fiscal year ended Sept. 30. “Fortunately, tree damage was largely limited to only one property,” said John Kiernan, president and chief executive officer. “This lost fruit impacted our fiscal year 2022 financial …

Touring Trials at the Whitmore Farm Field Day

Josh McGillEvents, Rootstocks, Varieties

The A.H. Whitmore Foundation Farm near Groveland, Florida, recently hosted a field day. The event was presented by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), New Varieties Development and Management Corporation (NVDMC) and the Florida Citrus Research Foundation. The farm opened in 1959. The 400-acre property includes 110 acres of groves on prime citrus land. Some of the state’s most popular …

Forecast for Florida Citrus Production Plummets

Tacy CalliesCrop Forecast

The first federal citrus crop forecast to take into account damage from September’s Hurricane Ian dropped Florida’s projected orange crop for 2022–23 to 20 million boxes. That’s 29% below the initial forecast of 28 million boxes in October, 51% less than last season’s final production of 41.05 million boxes and the lowest orange forecast in many decades. Florida’s non-Valencia and …

Economic Perspectives on the 2021–22 Florida Processed Orange Season

Josh McGillEconomics

By Thomas H. Spreen The timing of Hurricane Ian is not unlike that of Hurricane Irma in September of 2017 in that it struck before the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) crop forecast was released in October, but after the data collection process was already completed for the forecast. Therefore, the USDA forecast will not take Hurricane Ian’s impacts into …

Seeing Success With Louisiana Citrus Grown Indoors

Josh McGillLouisiana

A three-year Louisiana State University Agricultural Center (LSU AgCenter) study is investigating the pros and cons of growing citrus inside or in containers. “So far, we are finding that the pros are outnumbering cons,” said Anna Timmerman, LSU AgCenter horticulture agent in St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes. Early results of Timmerman’s research show that growing citrus indoors produces a high-quality …

Northern Hemisphere Citrus Forecast Drops

Josh McGillCrop Forecast, International

The World Citrus Organisation’s (WCO) Northern Hemisphere citrus production forecast for the 2022–23 season is 25.958 million tons, a 13% decrease from the prior season. Production of every citrus variety in the Northern Hemisphere is forecast to dip by more than 11%. The forecast is based on data from Egypt, Greece, Israel, Italy, Morocco, Spain, Tunisia, Turkey and the United …

Flower Bud Advisories Have Begun

Josh McGillProduction

Regular flower bud advisories from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) were restarted Nov. 21 and will be provided every other week through early spring. Associate Professor Tripti Vashisth provides the advisories. The advisories provide critical information about the intensity and time of citrus blooms. Growers use this information to determine when to spray for …

CRAFT Application Deadline Extended

Josh McGillCRAFT, planting, Research

The Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) Foundation has extended the deadline for CRAFT Cycle Four to Dec. 31 at 5 p.m. It made the extension in response to multiple requests. The foundation recognized that many Florida citrus growers have had to shift their focus and time for the past couple of months to deal with hurricane recovery. GROWER INCENTIVESCRAFT …

June

All In For Citrus Podcast, November 2022

Tacy CalliesAll In For Citrus Podcast, hurricane, Research

The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) recently received a large grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). Michael Rogers provides details of the $16.5 million grant during the November All In For Citrus podcast. Rogers is the director of the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake …

More Disaster and Pandemic Aid From USDA

Josh McGillCOVID-19, hurricane

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Nov. 15 announced plans for additional emergency relief and pandemic assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). USDA is preparing to roll out the Emergency Relief Program (ERP) Phase Two as well as the new Pandemic Assistance Revenue Program (PARP). The two programs help offset crop and revenue losses for growers. USDA is sharing early …

Ian, GMOs and Marketing Discussed at Citrus Commission Meeting

Josh McGillFlorida Citrus Commission, hurricane, Marketing

Many media inquiries about Florida citrus following Hurricane Ian were addressed by Florida Department of Citrus marketing agency Edible. Alex Armentano of Edible told the Florida Citrus Commission during its October meeting that the agency worked closely with Florida Citrus Mutual and other partners to respond to media requests. Edible worked with partners to create materials and messaging and to …

Sneak Peek: December 2022 Citrus Industry

Tacy CalliesNutrition, Regulation, Sneak Peek

Need the latest nutrient recommendations for growing citrus in Florida? Find updates for nutrient best management practices in the December issue of Citrus Industry magazine. The article, by Kelly Morgan, Davie Kadyampakeni and Tripti Vashisth, details recently approved recommendations for secondary macronutrients and micronutrients. The new advice is based on University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) …

Display Day Draws Good Crowd

Josh McGillFresh, Orange Juice, Varieties

Fruit display days are an integral part of the citrus breeding process. The evaluations provided by participants give important feedback on the taste, appearance, texture and overall desirability of the fruit sampled whether it be for juice or the fresh market. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) hosted a display on Nov. 14 at the …

Ian/Nicole Overlap Complicates Loss Assessments

Josh McGillEconomics, hurricane

Nicole, which came ashore as a hurricane on Nov. 10 before weakening to a tropical storm, impacted much of the same Florida land area that Hurricane Ian damaged in late September. Christa Court, director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Economic Impact Analysis Program, says due to that overlap, the data her team references …

Two Types of EQIP Assistance Available

Josh McGillhurricane

Florida agricultural landowners and growers with damages caused by Hurricane Ian can apply for emergency and general assistance through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP). NRCS can provide payments, through conservation program contracts, for EQIP conservation practices that address disaster-related resource concerns on agricultural land. NRCS is issuing EQIP early start …

florida citrus

BMP Verification Visits Suspended

Josh McGillBMPs

The requirement that the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) conduct Best Management Practice (BMP) implementation verification visits has been temporarily suspended for several counties impacted by Hurricane Ian. The action was taken Oct. 31 by Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried. The 60-day suspension is effective for the counties of Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Flagler, Glades, …

Department of Citrus Budget Reduced Slightly

Josh McGillFlorida Citrus Commission, Florida Department of Citrus

The Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) on Oct. 26 approved a Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) 2022–23 budget that is only $123,000 less than a preliminary budget approved in June. Approval of the $29.795 million budget came less than a month after Hurricane Ian knocked much of the state’s citrus crop to the ground and damaged trees. The FCC serves as …

Growers Needed for UF/IFAS Tree Recovery Assessment

Josh McGillhurricane, Tip of the Week

By Christopher Vincent Growers affected by flooding and high winds from Hurricane Ian have seen the immediate effects, but the stress to the trees will have longer lasting effects as well.  It is not known how big these effects will be or how long trees take to recover. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers want …

Sneak Peek: November 2022 Citrus Industry

Josh McGillhurricane, Sneak Peek, Technology

While irrigation and technology were meant to be the focus of the November issue of Citrus Industry, the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, combined with the low initial crop forecast that does not even account for the storm’s damage, proved to be the much bigger story. Editor-in-Chief Frank Giles provides early details on the hurricane’s damage to Florida’s citrus industry and …

Millennium Block Field Day Gives Growers Firsthand Look at Trials

Josh McGillEvents, Rootstocks, Varieties

The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC) in Fort Pierce hosted a drive-through field day for attendees to tour its Millennium block. The grove features more than 5,500 2- and 3-year-old trees. A total of 154 new citrus scion/rootstock combinations are included in the research project. The trial has …