Juice Prices Climb; Volume Sales Drop

Josh McGill Florida Department of Citrus, Orange Juice, sales

Orange juice (OJ) and grapefruit juice prices climbed in the four-week period ending Feb. 25 compared to the same period in 2022, but volume sales dipped. Marisa Zansler, Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) economic and market research director, presented that FDOC Nielsen report information to the Florida Citrus Commission on March 15. The FCC is the governing board of the …

citrus production

Florida Processed Orange Standards Reduced

Josh McGill Florida Citrus Commission, Florida Department of Citrus, Regulation

The Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) on Feb. 22 reduced processed orange maturity standards for the remainder of this season due to the negative effects of 2022’s Hurricane Ian. The emergency rule, proposed by the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC), requires that all processed oranges have a Brix value of no less than 7.0. The rule also stipulates that there shall …

Florida Citrus Marketed Internationally

Josh McGill Florida Department of Citrus, International, Marketing

The Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) is continuing to work on retail promotions with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services in Pan-Europe, France and Canada. Katie Bruce, international marketing manager, told the Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) about those and other international efforts in December. The FCC serves as the governing board for the FDOC. The Canadian retail program …

CRISPR Research Update for HLB and Canker

Josh McGill Breeding, Florida Citrus Commission, Research

Yianni Lagos, chief executive officer of Soilcea, told the Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) in October about his company’s efforts to use CRISPR gene editing to aid the citrus industry in its struggles with canker and HLB. Soilcea was founded to find solutions to these citrus diseases. The company has exclusive licenses to patents from the University of Florida to cure …

OJ Sales Impacted by Inflation

Josh McGill Florida Department of Citrus, Orange Juice, sales

Approximately 67% of total orange juice (OJ) is consumed through retail channels, and as much as 93% of not-from-concentrate (NFC) OJ is consumed through retail channels. The Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) learned these statistics at its Oct. 26 meeting. Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) Economic and Market Research Director Marisa Zansler provided the information, along with other citrus juice sales …

Department of Citrus Budget Reduced Slightly

Josh McGill Florida 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 …

Nurseries Approved for Expedited Propagation Program

Josh McGill Florida Citrus Commission, Florida Department of Citrus, nurseries

The Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) on Aug. 24 approved agreements with 25 nurseries for the Program for Expedited Propagation of HLB Tolerant and Resistant Trees. The nurseries are: Agromillora Florida Inc. Ben Hill Griffin Inc. Blue Heron Nurseries LLC Brewer Citrus LLC Brite Leaf Citrus Nursery LLC Citrific Holdings Inc. CitriSun Nurseries LLC Cutrale Farms Inc. Dilley Citrus Nursery Inc. …

Expedited Tree Propagation Program Approved

Josh McGill Florida Department of Citrus, HLB Management, nurseries

The Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) on July 20 approved the Florida Department of Citrus’ (FDOC) plan for implementation of the Program for Expedited Propagation of HLB Tolerant and Resistant Trees (PEP). The program’s goal is to provide resources needed to ramp up the availability of the apparently HLB-tolerant Donaldson tree and others like it. The FDOC received $1 million in …

HLB-Tolerant Tree Program Progressing

Tacy Callies Florida Citrus Commission, Florida Department of Citrus, HLB Management

The goal of an expedited tree propagation program is to have several million HLB-tolerant or HLB-resistant trees planted in the next several years. Greg Hodges, assistant director of the Florida Department of Agriculture’s Division of Plant Industry (DPI), said he believes that goal is attainable. Hodges and others presented the propagation plans to the Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) on July …

orange juice

Barriers to Buying Orange Juice

Josh McGill Florida Department of Citrus, Orange Juice

The Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) recently heard a report that 13% of consumers surveyed in June said the increased price of buying orange juice (OJ) is a barrier. Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) Director of Economic and Market Research Marisa Zansler provided that information to the FDOC’s governing board. Zansler also reported that 5% of consumers said they were less …

marketing agency

Orange Juice Sales ‘Remain Strong’

Josh McGill Florida Department of Citrus, Marketing, Orange Juice

Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) Chairman Steve Johnson discussed strong orange juice sales in an email this month to members of the Florida citrus industry: “As prices continue to rise across the board for goods and services, many shoppers may find themselves buying not what they want but what they need. The key for us is making sure OJ remains on …

Citrus Department Proposes Preliminary 2022–23 Budget

Josh McGill financial, Florida Citrus Commission, Florida Department of Citrus

The Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) in May proposed a preliminary 2022–23 operating budget of $31.4 million to the Florida Citrus Commission, its governing body. The 2021–22 operating budget was $29 million. Global marketing and public relations represent the bulk of the 2022–23 budget at $22.9 million, a 3.5% reduction from the previous season. The proposed orange budget will increase …

Program to Provide HLB-Tolerant Trees

Josh McGill Florida Citrus Commission, Florida Department of Citrus, HLB Management

The Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) on May 18 received an update on a propagation program intended to quickly produce and commercialize trees showing tolerance or resistance to HLB disease, also known as citrus greening. The program will focus on the Donaldson tree and other escaped trees. The Donaldson is a tree at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Whitmore Farm that …

A Fruitful Partnership for Florida Growers

Josh McGill Florida 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 …

Marketing Florida Orange Juice: Progress and Plans

Josh McGill Florida Department of Citrus, Marketing, Orange Juice

Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) staff and members of the FDOC’s marketing firm, Edible, told the Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) on March 16 about recent marketing Florida orange Juice successes and plans for 2022–23. Karmen Johnson of Edible provided an update on current marketing activities. The e-commerce program includes a collaboration with Kroger and Pinterest that targeted more than 580,000 …

Donaldson Tree Is ‘Beacon of Hope’

Josh McGill Florida Citrus Commission, HLB Management

A recently discovered HLB-infected tree that is producing high levels of fruit holds hope for Florida’s citrus industry, according to Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) Chairman Steve Johnson. “By now, many of you have heard about the Donaldson tree,” said Johnson. “Recently rediscovered at USDA’s (U.S. Department of Agriculture) Whitmore Farm, this decades-old tree is abundantly producing early-season oranges and despite …

Florida Orange Ratio and Brix Requirements Reduced

Tacy Callies Florida, Regulation

In response to citrus damage from a late January freeze, the Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) on Feb. 3 lowered the minimum ratio requirement for oranges to 8.5:1 with a minimum Brix of 8 for fresh and processed fruit. Florida Citrus Mutual (FCM), the state’s largest citrus grower association, asked for the emergency action on Jan. 31. FCM CEO Mike Sparks …

citrus

Citrus Recovery Act Seeks to Update Florida Citrus Commission

Josh McGill Florida, Florida Citrus Commission, Regulation

It is set to be a busy legislative session for agricultural interests in Florida. One of the bills making its way through the process is SB 1002, the Citrus Recovery Act. Sen. Danny Burgess (R-District 20) introduced the bill to amend the Florida Citrus Commission (FCC). The FCC is the governing body of the Florida Department of Citrus. The Citrus …

Florida Citrus Packers

Citrus Hall of Fame Names New Inductees

Ernie Neff Awards

George F. Hamner Jr., of Vero Beach, and the late A. Tillis Edwards Jr. and Edward A. Taylor, both of Lakeland, will be inducted into the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame in 2022. The inductions will take place during a Citrus Celebration Luncheon scheduled for Oct. 14 at Florida Southern College in Lakeland. A. TILLIS EDWARDS JR. Edwards was a …