A Fruitful Partnership for Florida Growers

Josh McGillFlorida Citrus Commission, Florida Citrus Mutual, Florida Department of Citrus

Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) Chairman Steve Johnson recently cited the partnership between the FCC and Florida Citrus Mutual as “a shining example of the synergy happening in our industry.” The FCC serves as the governing board of the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC). Mutual is the state’s largest association of citrus growers. “The two entities, which at times have diverse …

Updates From Florida Citrus Mutual

Josh McGillFlorida Citrus Mutual

The Florida Citrus Mutual (FCM) board of directors voted earlier this month to support the continuation of the Florida Research Order. It encouraged Florida citrus growers to vote for continuation in a May referendum. The board acted after hearing from Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) Chief Operating Officer Rick Dantzler and discussing the importance of a continued funding mechanism …

Texas Region Plans Citrus Revival

Josh McGillCitrus, Texas

The area of Falfurrias, Texas, was a very prosperous citrus-growing region from 1909 until 1951, according to Romulo Montilla, who has a ranch there. “However, in 1951 there was a freezing temperature that killed close to 90% of the citrus. In 1967, the remaining citrus was eliminated with another terrible freeze.” Montilla and others recently began working to return citrus …

Research Update: Stable Antimicrobial Peptide

Josh McGillPeptides, Research

By Hailing Jin Research on the effectiveness of a novel stable antimicrobial peptide (SAMP) identified from the Australian finger lime (Microcitrus australasica) to fight huanglongbing (HLB) continues in a multistate initiative involving 1,500 citrus trees. Although the pandemic has impacted the progress of the research, work has steadily continued and expanded.  Researchers at the University of California, Riverside and University …

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U.S. Lemon, Grapefruit and Tangerine Outlook

Josh McGillCrop Forecast

Lemons are the only U.S. citrus commodity forecast this season to exceed last season’s production levels, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service reported recently. At a projected 976,000 tons, lemon production is expected to be 10% higher than last season. Ninety-four percent of lemons commercially grown in the United States are from California. Despite the higher domestic production, …

OJ Marketing Success Highlighted at Peace River Meeting

Josh McGillMarketing, Orange Juice

Members of Peace River Valley Citrus Growers Association gathered in Arcadia last week for their annual meeting and dinner. Updates were provided on association business, the state legislative session and citrus Extension activities. In addition, Samantha Lane, global marketing director for the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC), gave an insightful presentation on consumer purchasing habits and how orange juice (OJ) …

Nutritional Lessons Learned From the Field and in the Wild

Josh McGillNutrition

By Brad Turner In the 1970s, the majority of my family’s groves in Hillsborough, Polk and Hardee counties remained on a 25-foot by 25-foot setting or wider. Most of these “old school” blocks received several light cultivations in both directions, two fertilizations and two foliar sprays per season. These groves contained some of the most grand and bountiful trees in …

Florida OJ Tariffs Lifted in United Kingdom

Josh McGillOrange Juice, Trade

The United States and the United Kingdom announced a trade accord on March 22. The United States will remove tariffs on British steel and aluminum, while the United Kingdom will remove retaliatory tariffs on a number of American exports, including Florida orange juice. “We appreciate the work of the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Department of Agriculture in …

Citrus Commission Learns About HLB-Tolerant Trees, Other Research

Josh McGillFlorida Department of Citrus, HLB Management, Research

At the Florida Citrus Commission meeting earlier this month, a federal scientist outlined an eight-step action plan for research and development of heirloom orange trees that appear to be tolerant to HLB. Brian Scully, director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Horticultural Research Laboratory, discussed the Donaldson and Tobias trees at USDA’s Whitmore Foundation Farm. A third tree is …

Sneak Peek: April 2022 Citrus Industry

Josh McGillCitrus, HLB Management, Sneak Peek

Increased attention on nutrition has become part of the overall strategy for managing HLB. The April issue of Citrus Industry magazine includes several articles on nutrient management designed to help growers keep trees productive in the HLB era. Mandarin growers will want to take note of new University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) research on how …

IPCs Improve Fruit Yield and Quality

Josh McGillHLB Management, IPCs, Research

By Fernando Alferez, Ute Albrecht, Susmita Gaire, Ozgur Batuman, Jawwad Qureshi and Mongi Zekri University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers established a field trial in February 2018 to evaluate the efficacy of individual protective covers (IPCs) to prevent Asian citrus psyllids from spreading HLB and to study the effects on tree growth and physiology. The …

Early HLB Detection by Dogs

Josh McGillHLB Management, Research

By Amir Rezazadeh Huanglongbing (HLB), or citrus greening disease, has caused more than 70% decline in the production of oranges for juice and the fresh market in Florida. Once a tree is infected, there is no cure. Early detection followed by a rapid response is important to avoid further spread of the exotic pathogen. Delayed detection of HLB can result in …

Balancing Citrus Nutrition in the Era of HLB

Josh McGillHLB Management, Nutrition, Research

The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) has committed to updating nutrition recommendations for citrus now that HLB is endemic across the state. Some of this ongoing research was discussed during the February All In For Citrus podcast. Growers will be interested to hear from Davie Kadyampakeni, a UF/IFAS assistant professor of soil and water science, …

Picking Favorites at Florida Citrus Variety Display Day

Josh McGillCitrus, Florida, Varieties

The horticultural characteristics of new citrus varieties are important, especially in the era of HLB when disease tolerance is critical. But how the fruit tastes and other consumer attributes are equally important. That’s why citrus variety display days are vital in citrus breeding. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center in …

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All In for Citrus Podcast, February 2022

Josh McGillAll In For Citrus Podcast

The Florida legislative session is well underway in Tallahassee. The University of Florida hosted its annual Gator Day at the Capitol in February to remind lawmakers of all that the school does for its students and stakeholders. Michael Rogers, director of the Citrus Research and Education Center, and fellow citrus team members from the University of Florida Institute of Food …

Achieving Water and Nutrient Efficiency

Josh McGillIrrigation, Nutrition, Research

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers emphasized the importance of efficient irrigation and nutrient management at a workshop earlier this month at the Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred. In Florida, the citrus industry accounts for about 30% of irrigated cropland acreage, reported UF/IFAS researcher Alisheikh Atta. Worldwide, the agriculture industry consumes about …

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A Methodical and Safe Approach to Help Florida Citrus

Josh McGillCitrus, Florida

By Ben Albritton Florida’s farmers depend on healthy soil and clean water to produce crops. It’s how my family has grown citrus, strawberries and cattle for more than four generations. The quality of our natural resources has a direct impact on our crops and livelihood. I am a fifth-generation Floridian who was raised by a line of farmers, ranchers and …

Florida OJ Demand and Rising Food Prices

Josh McGillFlorida Department of Citrus, Orange Juice

By Marisa L. Zansler It’s been nearly two years since the COVID-19 pandemic first swept across the country. American households are still adapting to a new way of life that includes a shifting of work-life balance and a return to familiar routines such as family gatherings, travel and venturing outside of the home. INFLATION AND OJ AVAILABILITYAs this transition into …

Grapefruit Production and Challenges in Turkey

Ernie NeffGrapefruit, International

In 2021-22, grapefruit production in Turkey is expected to increase 5% over the previous season, totaling 250,000 metric tons (MT), the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) reported. In 2020-21, production reached 238,000 MT. Since production costs are high, producers are not satisfied with low consumption and the low sales prices at orchards and wholesale markets. Additionally, orchard …

Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Severely Lacking in U.S. Adults

Josh McGillFlorida Department of Citrus, Research

A new study published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that only a small percentage of U.S. adults consume the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables. On average only 12% of U.S. adults meet fruit-intake and only 10% meet vegetable-intake recommendations outlined in the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). Low intakes may put Americans at increased risk …