Cutrale Wins Quality Award

Tacy CalliesAwards

Cutrale has been named a 2020 Supplier Award winner by ADM. An international agribusiness group, Cutrale is involved in orange growing and processing, orange juice manufacturing and distribution with operations in Brazil, Japan, the Netherlands, Portugal, the United Kingdom and the United States. ADM is an agricultural origination and processing company that connects crops to markets on six continents. During …

OJ Proves Beneficial for Youth

Ernie NeffOrange Juice, Research

A new, four-year study published in Public Health Nutrition found that drinking 100 percent orange juice (OJ) is not associated with negative effects on body weight, body mass index (BMI) or BMI percentile among 9- to 16-year-olds. It also found that higher OJ consumption is associated with increased height for girls and increased trends for physical activity levels in both …

Increased Florida Department of Citrus Budget

Tacy CalliesFlorida Citrus Commission

On Oct. 21, the Florida Citrus Commission approved a revised 2020-21 operating budget for the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) of nearly $19.8 million. The commission voted to sustain the preliminary budget set in June, prior to the October crop forecast, through a box assessment of $.12 on oranges used for processing plus up to $1 million in fund balance. …

OJ Sales at Pre-2017 Levels

Tacy CalliesOrange Juice, sales

The Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) reports that 100 percent Florida orange juice (OJ) sales finished strong for the 2019–20 season. FOR THE PERIODMarisa Zansler, FDOC director of economic and market research, gave an in-depth overview of the final Nielsen OJ Retail Sales Report for the 2019–20 season through the four-week period ending Sept. 26, 2020. She presented a summary …

citrus

Commissioner Fried on Citrus Forecast

Tacy CalliesCrop Forecast

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried offered the following statement on the initial citrus crop forecast for the 2020-21 season released today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA): “When Americans think of wellness and health, their thoughts turn to Florida orange juice and fresh citrus, especially during these unprecedented times. Despite the challenges that Florida’s citrus growers have faced as a …

mandarin

Progress Toward HLB-Tolerant Citrus

Tacy CalliesVarieties

Largely due to the advent of huanglongbing (HLB) disease, Florida orange production has declined by over 70 percent in the last 10 years. According to experts, if the trend is not reversed, processing plants will not have enough fruit to maintain production and profitability, ultimately causing shutdowns. Currently, Florida law requires that orange juice be comprised of at least 90 …

china

Mexico Exceeds Brazil in OJ Sales to the United States

Ernie NeffOrange Juice

Orange juice (OJ) sales from Mexico to the United States now exceed those from Brazil, according to a recent study by CitrusBR. CitrusBR is an entity representing Citrosuco, Cutrale and Louis Dreyfus, the three largest exporters of Brazilian OJ. The study indicates sales from Mexico to the United States began to gain strength in 1993 and have skyrocketed since 2008. …

new york times

Season’s OJ Sales Up Nearly 13 Percent

Ernie NeffOrange Juice

The increase in sales of U.S. orange juice (OJ) that began during the early days of COVID-19 is continuing, according to Marisa Zansler, director of the Florida Department of Citrus Economic and Market Research Department. Zansler told the Florida Citrus Commission on Sept. 16 that as consumers began to adapt to a new normal while still living under COVID-19 conditions, …

orange juice

Keeping the OJ Momentum Going

Ernie NeffOrange Juice

Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) staff has been “hard at work ensuring the momentum experienced by the orange juice (OJ) category earlier this year doesn’t fade as we usher in the fall,” Ned Hancock stated recently. Hancock, chairman of the Florida Citrus Commission, provided that information and more in an update to the citrus industry on FDOC activities. Hancock said …

Mutual Reacts to Federal Plan for Imports

Ernie NeffTrade

A recently announced Trump administration plan (see the full 28-page document) to address the threat posed by increased foreign imports to American producers of seasonal and perishable fruits and vegetables does not specifically address citrus. But Florida Citrus Mutual (FCM) Executive Vice President/CEO Mike Sparks noted that many of Florida’s other fruits and vegetables weren’t specifically addressed in the plan, …

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 …

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. …

Citrus Researcher Yu Wang Recognized

Tacy CalliesAwards

She’s early in her career, but food scientist Yu Wang is making great strides in her research. Recognizing Wang’s work, the Agricultural and Food Chemistry division (AGFD) of the American Chemical Society (ACS) recently named her a fellow. Wang, a flavor chemist with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center, may …

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 …

nutrition

Citrus Expo to Cover Wide Range of Production Topics

Tacy CalliesCitrus Expo

The Citrus Expo team and the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) have joined forces to offer educational sessions in a virtual format for this year’s Citrus Expo. On Aug. 19–20, the 2020 seminar program will debut online at CitrusExpo.net at 9:30 a.m. Attendees will be able to watch videos of research presentations. With safety as …

The Future Faces of Florida Citrus

Tacy CalliesScholarship

Meet the four students who received the FMC Citrus Ag Production Scholarships. By Tacy Callies The FMC Citrus Ag Production Scholarships (CAPS) program, a partnership between AgNet Media and FMC, was created to support Florida citrus production and encourage interested youth to pursue careers in citrus. Two University of Florida students and two Florida Southern College students each were awarded …

OJ May Help Lower Blood Pressure

Ernie NeffOrange Juice, Research

A growing body of scientific research shows that 100 percent orange juice (OJ), and its vitamins and minerals, may play a beneficial role in helping to lower blood pressure and other risk factors for heart disease. Recently, a randomized control study performed by researchers at Eurecat, Centre Tecnològic de Catalunya, in Reus, Spain concluded that 100 percent OJ and 100 percent OJ fortified …

Duda Selling Imported Citrus

Ernie NeffIndustry News Release

Duda Farm Fresh Foods has launched its 18th consecutive import citrus program. Through October, it will import citrus to the United Sates from the Southern Hemisphere. The imported citrus will be sold under the Dandy label and will include clementines, lemons, navels, and Cara Cara oranges. According to Duda Farm Fresh Foods, the easy-peel clementines have good color and sugar-to-acid …

Court Rules in Favor of Florida’s Natural

Ernie NeffOrange Juice

A federal appeals court in New York has upheld the dismissal of a claim that Florida’s Natural Growers’ (FNG) use of the word “Natural” in its brand name was deceptive. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit made the ruling on May 29.   The appeals court held that the company’s use of the word “Natural” in its …