craft

CRAFT Cycle Two Deadline Is September 4

Tacy Calliesplanting, Research

Time is running out for commercial citrus growers in Florida to apply to participate in Cycle Two of the Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) program. The deadline to apply is Friday, Sept. 4. The application process is open to growers with a minimum of 20 acres of planned solid-set or reset plantings. Cycle Two of CRAFT covers up to …

How Has COVID-19 Impacted Your Operation?

Ernie NeffCOVID-19

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers have opened the second round of surveys on the impact of COVID-19 on the state’s agriculture and marine industries. The surveys are intended to capture changes in operations for the first half of the year.  The Assessment of COVID-19 Impacts on Florida surveys were first deployed in mid-April and …

Grapefruit Ingredient Has New Use

Tacy CalliesGrapefruit

A new active ingredient in grapefruit, discovered and developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has been registered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for use in insecticides and insect repellents. The new ingredient, nootkatone, repels and kill ticks, mosquitoes and a wide variety of other biting pests. Nootkatone, a natural organic compound, is responsible for the characteristic …

COVID-19 and Farm Labor

Ernie NeffCOVID-19, Labor

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) is encouraging growers to ensure that the farm labor contractors with whom they work pledge to implement COVID-19 workplace safety guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. FDACS issued an addendum to be signed by farm labor contractors (see here) and a training acknowledgment form to be signed …

Growers, NRCS Team Up on Conservation

Ernie NeffWater

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) works with Florida growers, other landowners and local soil and water districts to implement conservation practices. NRCS offers more than 170 individual practices and suites of practices that can be used to improve soil health, water quality, air quality and wildlife habitat. When planning these practices, NRCS staff helps producers …

Florida Hemp Program Setting the Bar High

Tacy CalliesAlternative Crops, Citrus Expo

Holly Bell, director of cannabis for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), gave an update on Florida’s hemp program as part of the Citrus Expo virtual general session. “Florida is becoming the leader in the country — if not the world — on how we’re getting our hemp program rolled out and the standards that we’re setting,” …

nutrition

CRDF Addresses Leaf Sampling and Breeding Research

Ernie NeffResearch

The Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) board recently chose leaf sampling timing and frequency as its top priority for a new nutrition research project. The board also agreed to create a Select Committee on Plant Improvement to help plant breeders decide which new cultivars should go into final field trials. CRDF Chief Operating Officer Rick Dantzler discusses the board’s …

Consumer Acceptance of Genetic Technology

Tacy CalliesTechnology

Given that genetic engineering is a possible solution to citrus greening, understanding public perceptions of genetic technologies is important. Lisa House, director of the Florida Agricultural Market Research Center and a professor in the Food and Resource Economics Department at the University of Florida, made an online presentation during the recent Agricultural and Applied Economics Association annual meeting. She discussed …

PIECES OF THE PAST: Great Crate Finds

Tacy CalliesPieces of the Past

By Brenda Eubanks Burnette I recently bought several old citrus crates for the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame collection: Shiloh Fruit Packing Company, with the Indian Chief label Indian River Citrus Sub-Exchange packed by Graves Brothers Company in Wabasso, featuring the Flo brand label On Top Groves from Wetumpka Fruit Co., with the On Top Blue brand label The A. …

USDA to Buy Grapefruit Juice

Ernie NeffIndustry News Release

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced plans to purchase grapefruit juice products for distribution to various food nutrition assistance programs. Purchases will be made to encourage the continued domestic consumption of these products by diverting them from the normal channels of trade and commerce. Solicitations will be issued in the near future, and will be available electronically through …

HLB

New UF/IFAS Plant Breeding Website

Ernie NeffBreeding

Fred Gmitter, a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) professor of breeding and genetics, has released several mandarin citrus varieties. Most recently, he released the Marathon variety in 2018. The citrus fruit’s ability to hang onto the tree for an extended period led researchers to give it the Marathon moniker. Gmitter is one of numerous scientists …

psyllids

Psyllid Study to Determine Degree of HLB Risk

Len WilcoxCalifornia Corner, Psyllids

University of California Riverside Extension Specialist Monique Rivera said that funding for a new research project to study the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) has been approved. The project will take a closer look at the phenology of huanglongbing (the citrus disease ACP spreads) and its prevalence in psyllid populations. The scientists will be looking for patterns that will help them …

Mutual Testifies on OJ From Mexico

Ernie NeffMexico

Florida Citrus Mutual Executive Vice President and CEO Mike Sparks recently testified to federal officials regarding the effects of orange juice (OJ) imports from Mexico. His testimony to the United States Trade Representative (USTR), the U.S. Department of Commerce (USDOC) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) was part of a larger hearing on trade with Mexico and the U.S. …

Infected ACP Found in California Commercial Grove Is No Surprise

Len WilcoxCalifornia Corner, Psyllids

For the first time, an Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) carrying the bacteria which causes huanglongbing (HLB) was found in a commercial grove in Riverside County. While the discovery has prompted concern, University of California Riverside Extension Specialist Monique Rivera said that the find has been expected and is not all that surprising. “We’ve had positive trees removed here in Riverside, …

Weird Trunk Disorders in Groves

Ernie NeffCitrus Expo

Florida growers, Extension agents and others have been baffled by unusual trunk symptoms during what Evan Johnson termed “the year of the weird trunk disorder.” Growers spotted the disorders, which were similar to phytophthora, in groves over the past one and half to two years. Johnson addressed three of the disorders, which have been found in multiple counties. Johnson, a …

Survey to Help USDA Improve

Ernie NeffSurvey

A new U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) annual survey of farmers, ranchers and private forestland owners will help USDA understand what it is doing well and where improvements are needed. The survey will specifically help the Farm Service Agency (FSA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Risk Management Agency (RMA). A selection of 28,000 producers will receive the survey over …

Cover Crops and Nematicides for Sting Nematode Management

Tacy CalliesPests

By Larry Duncan, Johan Desaeger and Sheng-Yen Wu The citrus row middle habitat changed profoundly beginning in the 1970s as mowing replaced disking for weed management. This change ended the costly cycle of cutting and regrowing citrus roots near the soil surface and reduced soil erosion, among other benefits. Mowing also allowed a seasonal succession of native plants to flourish, …

Industry Split on OJ Marketing Order

Ernie NeffMarketing

A Florida citrus Industry Review Committee has divergent opinions about a possible federal marketing order for orange juice (OJ), Florida Citrus Mutual CEO Mike Sparks reported after the group met last week. “There were some that wanted to roll up their sleeves and continue work. There were a couple of committee members that had heard enough” and didn’t want to …

FDOC Efforts Successful in Moving More Juice

Tacy CalliesOrange Juice

According to the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC), sales of 100 percent orange juice (OJ) continue to show promising results. In the 4-week period ending Aug. 1, average year-over-year sales of total OJ increased 21 percent with 32.64 million equivalent gallons sold, per the latest Nielsen retail sales report. Sales of not-from-concentrate (NFC) OJ increased 27 percent for the period. …

Hurricane Season Forecast Updated to ‘Extremely Active’

Ernie Neffhurricane

Atmospheric and oceanic conditions are primed to fuel storm development in the Atlantic, leading to what could be an “extremely active” season. So say forecasters with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in its August update to the Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook, initially issued in May. The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season is off to a rapid pace with a …