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Below you'll see everything we could locate for your search of “covid”
Important information for agriculture related to the COVID-19 pandemic was issued from numerous sources this week. A brief summary of some of the information follows. Ray Royce, executive director of Highlands County Citrus Growers Association, addressed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ stay-at-home order that went into effect at midnight on April 2. “All agricultural and agricultural support activities are considered essential …
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and Florida Farm Bureau President John L. Hoblick held a town hall meeting on Thursday with the state’s agriculture community on pressing issues. Some of the topics of discussion included: Ensuring agriculture and all related industries are essential at the federal, state and local levels. Promoting the continued and efficient processing of H-2A worker visas. Inter- and intra-state weight waivers for …
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) experts want to help dispel a media-dispersed untruth about COVID-19. UF/IFAS scientists offering accurate information and food safety tips to the citrus industry about COVID-19 include Travis Chapin, Michelle Danyluk, Renee Goodrich Schneider and Keith Schneider. According to the UF/IFAS scientists, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food …
By Ariel Singerman Orange yield in Florida has decreased by more than 80% since HLB was first found in the state in 2005. It is hard to find another example in recent history of an industry as iconic as Florida citrus that has declined so significantly as a consequence of a plant disease. As a comparison, at the global level, …
If you are a Florida grower, you might have heard about the Mind Your Melon mental health awareness campaign. We’ve written about it before here at AgNet Media. Marshal Sewell and his wife Taylor officially launched Mind Your Melon in May of 2022 during Mental Health Awareness Month. Mental health has been a passion for Sewell since 2007 when his …
Nominations are being sought by Nov. 1 for potential inductees to the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame. Eligible nominees are distinguished leaders who have made significant contributions to the Florida citrus industry in any of the following fields: pioneering, harvesting, packing, processing, marketing, science or education. Nomination forms are available by contacting Florida Citrus Hall of Fame Executive Director Brenda …
By Marisa L. Zansler In May 2024, news of Brazil’s 2024–25 orange crop forecast declining from 307 million boxes to 232 million boxes — a 24% drop — sent frozen concentrated orange juice (FCOJ) futures prices to historic highs. The futures price reached $4.87 per pound solids on May 28 before settling at $4.22 per pound solids at the end …
Texas grapefruit growers recently gained access to a new international market in South Korea worth $5 million annually. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) negotiated the technical details that will help ensure grapefruit exported from Texas are free from pests, such as the Mexican fruit fly. On June 27, 2024, South Korea’s national …
A significant portion of consumers are drawn to Florida orange juice (OJ) despite recent economic setbacks, a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) study shows. “There is an intrinsic value that consumers have for Florida orange juice. When they think of Florida, orange juice is often part of the imagery,” said Marisa Zansler, director of economic …
Two California citrus industry leaders recently shared their perspectives on the prospects of the industry. Al Bates, chief executive officer and president of Sun Pacific, said the yield for this year’s crop is mediocre but that “the fruit size is larger and ideal from a consumer perspective.” The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) projected a 1% increase in …
Australian fresh orange production is forecast at 530,000 metric tons (MT) in 2023–24 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS). This is a 5% increase over 2022–23 production of 505,000 MT. Producers expect to benefit from easing input costs and labor constraints in 2023–24. In particular, the costs of fertilizer and crop protection chemicals have reduced …
There have been signs of improvement for the Australian citrus industry in the 2023 season compared to 2022. Among other things, Citrus Australia Chief Executive Officer Nathan Hancock said fruit quality has improved this season. The tail end of the 2023 harvest has been particularly strong from a quality perspective, according to Hancock. “While the earlier fruit this season struggled …
Several members of the U.S. citrus industry have been appointed or re-appointed to the federal Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for Trade in Fruits and Vegetables. They include James Cranney Jr. of California Citrus Quality Council, Casey Creamer of California Citrus Mutual, Melissa Frank-Poole of The Wonderful Company, Dale Murden of Texas Citrus Mutual and Daniel Richey of Riverfront Packing Company. …
The nomination deadline for potential 2024 inductees into the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame is Nov. 1, 2023. Nominations received after that date will be considered for the following year. Eligible nominees are distinguished leaders who made significant contributions to the Florida citrus industry in any of the following fields: pioneering, harvesting, packing, processing, marketing, science and/or education. Nomination forms …
By Marisa L. Zansler The orange juice (OJ) category has experienced turbulence over the past four years, characterized by volatility in prices, sales and distribution. Initially, the category declined in volume sales amid a saturated beverage market, with numerous options vying for consumers’ attention. However, the pandemic in early 2020 revitalized consumer interest, positioning OJ as a convenient and healthy …
U.S. Rep. Greg Steube of Florida on April 6 reintroduced the U.S. Citrus Protection Act to prohibit the importation of commercially produced fresh citrus fruit originating from China. “Floridians annually produce millions of cartons of citrus fruits, millions of gallons of citrus juices and hundreds of thousands of citrus byproducts, right here in the USA,” Steube said. “It’s unacceptable that we allow our adversary to import …
Canadian college Seneca, in partnership with Ottawa-based Evik Diagnostic Innovations Inc., is working to develop a quick diagnostic test for the citrus disease HLB. Frank Merante, professor in Seneca’s School of Biological Sciences & Applied Chemistry, is the principal investigator for the project. The idea behind the research was to develop a simple way for growers to test crops and identify the …
Heller Bros. Packing Corp.’s packinghouse in Winter Garden, Florida, has ceased operations. The 50,000-square-foot facility had operated since 1939. “It’s a big loss for the citrus industry. It’s a big loss for Winter Garden,” said Jim Garceau. His company, Orlando Citrus, bought fresh grapefruit, oranges and tangerines from Heller Bros. from 1992 to 2020. He sold the fruit to farmers’ …
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) projects American citrus production will decline from 11.2 billion pounds in 2022 to 9.8 billion pounds in 2032. The 10-year outlook for citrus is part of the lengthy USDA Agricultural Projections to 2032 report. The report was issued in February by the chief economist’s office at the USDA. According to the report, total citrus …
Orange production in China is expected to increase in 2022–23 over the prior year, while its orange juice (OJ) production is forecast to decline. The forecast was issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDAFAS). ORANGESChina’s orange production in 2022–23 is forecast to reach 7.6 million metric tons (MMT), up from 7.55 MMT the prior year. The …
