florida

HLB Quarantine Area Expands in California

Len WilcoxCalifornia Corner

A quarantine expansion has been declared following the detection of the citrus disease huanglongbing (HLB), or citrus greening, in two residential citrus trees in Colton, California. This is the first time the disease has been confirmed in Colton. This detection came on the heels of the first detection in San Bernardino County in November 2019. The California Department of Food …

citrus

Pests in CUPS and IPCs

Ernie NeffCUPS, Pests

Citrus under protective screen (CUPS) and young trees covered with individual protective covers (IPCs) have generally been well protected from HLB-spreading Asian citrus psyllids, but not from all other pests. Entomologist Jawwad Qureshi says the psyllids only get to trees when a CUPS structure or IPC is damaged, as happened to CUPS during Hurricane Irma in 2017. “Otherwise they do …

CDFA’s Year in Review

Len WilcoxCalifornia Corner, Pests

The mission of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is to promote and protect the food supply, enhance trade and protect the environment. The agency annually provides information on the steps it takes to fulfill its mission goals. In such a diverse and highly populated state, the challenges are great. Much of the growing regions are geographic islands …

nutrition

CRDF Acts on Bayer HLB Effort

Ernie NeffHLB Management

The Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) on Jan. 28 did its part to continue a Bayer Crop Science effort to develop new technologies to combat HLB. “What we agreed to do was partner with the California Citrus Research Board (CRB), Pepsi and Coca-Cola and share equally in the costs (of continuing the HLB effort) for another six months,” said …

HLB

HLB and Young Trees: A New Twist

Ernie NeffHLB Management

Southern Gardens Citrus is attempting to curtail HLB infection in young trees by focusing on spraying for HLB-spreading psyllids in mature trees. Mike Irey, the company’s director of research and business development, discussed the effort at the January Florida Citrus Show in Fort Pierce. “The goal of most of the strategies to protect young trees is to get them as …

PIECES OF THE PAST: Twenty-Twenty Vision

Tacy CalliesHistory, Pieces of the Past

By Brenda Eubanks Burnette Here we are in 2020. It’s hard to believe that time is flying by so fast. I’m now in the older generation! This makes me want to preserve as many memories as possible before they’re lost and forgotten. Approximately 30 people showed up at a recent Florida Citrus Hall of Fame Oral History Luncheon at the …

Hemp Plant Options and Advice

Ernie NeffAlternative Crops

Adam Elend, CEO of Florigrown, LLC, addresses the four main options for starting industrial hemp plants in the field and offers some advice for choosing suppliers. Elend reports in-depth on the pros and cons of three types of hemp seed in an interview at the end of this article. The fourth option for planting is cuttings. “In an unpredictable world, …

Orange Opportunities

Tacy CalliesVarieties

New sweet orange cultivars for processing can be harvested throughout the Florida citrus season. By Jude Grosser, Fred Gmitter and Bill Castle Florida orange juice has always been the gold standard among the growing portfolio of fruit juices and blends available to consumers. However, the now endemic citrus greening disease or huanglongbing (HLB) threatens this status by causing reduced fruit …

soil

Fast, Inexpensive Soil pH Testing

Ernie Neffsoil

Multi-county citrus Extension agent Chris Oswalt took several baggies of soil to an OJ break he hosted Jan. 14 at the Citrus Research and Education Center. He inserted a handheld pH meter into the soil in one of the baggies and within seconds told watching growers the content’s pH level. “Soil pH is real important, especially with HLB-infected trees today,” …

florida

Florida Grapefruit Production Up

Daniel CooperCrop Forecast

The 2019–20 Florida citrus crop forecast released on Jan. 10 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) held steady for oranges, tangerines and tangelos while grapefruit saw gains. Oranges The Florida orange forecast is 74 million boxes, unchanged from the December forecast. If realized, this will be 3 percent more than last season’s final production. The forecast consists of 32 …

nutrition

CRDF Has Spent $149 Million

Ernie NeffCRDF

The Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) has spent $149 million during 10 years of existence, Chief Operating Officer Rick Dantzler reports. He adds that 457 projects have been funded. Dantzler made a report on total CRDF activities to the group’s board of directors in November. He also announced a new slate of CRDF officers. “This has been quite an …

PIECES OF THE PAST: From Yearling to Centenarian

Tacy CalliesCitrus, Pieces of the Past

By Brenda Eubanks Burnette When Citrus Industry magazine was launched 100 years ago, the founders had many fears as to whether the focus on a single crop was too narrow to be successful. It would be something I clearly remember the Frisbie family discussing with staff at different times over the years. However, at the close of the publication’s first …

The ABCs of Psyllid Management

Tacy CalliesPests, Psyllids

By Lukasz L. Stelinski and Jawwad A. Qureshi Getting rid of Asian citrus psyllids (ACP) from your grove is almost like trying to remove the sand from a beach. You can make a huge noticeable impact, but getting every last grain of sand will be impossible. What makes the prospect of ACP management so complex is achieving it in a …

Growers Discuss BMPs

Ernie NeffBMPs

Two growers participating in a Dec. 16 program about local agricultural issues shared some of the best management practices (BMPs) their companies employ. The event was hosted by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Southwest Florida Research and Education Center (SWFREC) in Immokalee. Danny Sutton, president and general manager of Alico Citrus, said Alico sprayers …

Seeking Profits With Hemp

Ernie NeffAlternative Crops

The fact that growers will be able to legally grow industrial hemp in Florida doesn’t necessarily mean the crop can be grown successfully, a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) official says. “There is a huge interest in industrial hemp in the state of Florida,” says Jerry Fankhauser, assistant director of the UF/IFAS Florida Agricultural Experiment …

soil

Soil, Cover Crops and Compost

Ernie NeffCover Crops, Soil Improvement

Soil organic matter benefits citrus, but there isn’t much of it in Florida groves, says University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences soil microbiologist Sarah Strauss. Most Florida citrus land typically contains only 1 to 2 percent soil organic matter, says Strauss, who works at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center. “Areas near the Everglades with muck …

agriculture

Growers and Representatives Meet

Ernie NeffAgriculture, Legislative

State representatives Byron Donalds and Bob Rommel met with citrus and vegetable growers at a Dec. 16 discussion in Immokalee about local agricultural issues. The event was hosted by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Southwest Florida Research and Education Center. Donalds said he wants to be sure IFAS recommendations, on which best management practices …

New Varieties and Juice Blends Discussed

Ernie NeffVarieties

Growers recently sampled and graded new fruit varieties, as well as some juice blends, at University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) fruit display events. UF/IFAS plant breeder Jude Grosser commented on the fruit varieties and juice following a sampling event at the Citrus Research and Education Center. “It’s kind of neat because when we first started …

Certified Seed for Hemp Explained

Ernie NeffAlternative Crops

Many farmers looking at hemp as a potential alternative crop in Florida have been confused by the requirement that the hemp come from certified seed. Adam Elend, CEO of Florigrown, LLC, explains what certified seed is and is not. “The idea of certified seed is creating a lot of consternation among farmers,” Elend says. “I think that the intention of …

claus

Mr. Claus Granted Movement Permit in United States

Daniel CooperIndustry News Release

(USDA) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) issued a movement permit to Mr. S. Nicholas Claus of the North Pole, a broker with Worldwide Gifts, Unlimited. The permit will allow reindeer to enter and exit the United States between the hours of 7 p.m. Dec. 24 and 7 a.m. Dec. 25 through or …