bayer crdf

CRDF President on Bayer Partnership

Daniel Cooper Citrus Greening

We first told you last week that the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) and Bayer CropScience had announced a new partnership during Citrus Expo to fight citrus greening. Various solutions are being researched, like genetically improved trees. But CRDF President Tom Jerkins knows help is needed before those trees are ready. Sponsored Content5 Facts About Fire Ants and How …

CRDF and Bayer Announce Partnership at Citrus Expo

Tacy Callies Citrus, HLB Management, Industry News Release

The Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) and Bayer CropScience announced a new partnership at Citrus Expo. In an effort to discover new technologies to manage citrus greening disease, CRDF will invest $12 million with Bayer over a three-year period. Bayer will focus on product research and development of both biological and chemical controls. Adrian Percy, head of research and …

Citrus Expo

A Glimpse at CRDF Programs and Planning

Tacy Callies Citrus, News from our Sponsor

By Harold Browning Column sponsored by the Citrus Research and Development Foundation As we start the new fiscal year at the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF), there are a number of priority activities in place to focus effort and resources on important tools for managing citrus in the presence of HLB. Here are some highlights. Currently, CRDF is sponsoring …

HLB

New CRDF Manager Will Push HLB Solutions

Ernie Neff Citrus Greening, HLB Management

The Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) will soon hire another top administrator to ensure potential HLB solutions make it to the grove. The application period for a senior project manager ends May 24. Rick Kress, CRDF vice president and Governance Committee chairman, discusses the need for the position and the manager’s duties. “Right now, the entire citrus industry, specifically …

bactericides

CRDF President Discusses Bactericides

Ernie Neff Bactericides, Citrus Greening, HLB Management

Tom Jerkins, president of the Citrus Research and Development Foundation, several years ago led a crowd at Florida Citrus Mutual’s annual meeting in chanting, “We need bactericides now!” The bactericides, which growers hope will significantly reduce HLB impacts on citrus trees, have been available to citrus growers for more than a year now. Most growers reportedly are using them, at …

HLB

Bayer and CRDF Explore Partnership Possibilities

Ernie Neff Bactericides, Citrus Greening, HLB Management

Bayer CropScience on January 24 told the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) board about its proposed long-term efforts to find solutions to HLB. Bayer seeks CRDF funding for the effort, but the funding amount was not publicly discussed at the January meeting. CRDF Chief Operations Officer Harold Browning summarizes the discussions. “We’re looking at how to take bigger steps …

CRDF Panel Considers a “One-Two Punch” at HLB

Ernie Neff Citrus Greening, HLB Management

A panel of the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) in December discussed combining thermotherapy and bactericides in field trials in an effort to fight HLB. Most Florida growers used bactericides throughout 2016, and several growers have experimented with thermotherapy over the last few years. CRDF Chief Operations Officer Harold Browning discusses the concept of combining the two HLB therapies: …

CRDF’s Browning Clarifies Recent USDA Funding

Kelsey Fry Citrus, Citrus Greening, Legislative

The funding was made available through the Specialty Crop Research Initiative Citrus Disease Research and Extension Program, which was appropriated by the $125 million dollars allocated from the 2014 Farm Bill and administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The $22 million dollars will be used for a variety of citrus greening-related channels, …

Update from CRDF April Board Meeting

Kelsey Fry Citrus, Legislative

We spoke with Harold Browning, chief operations officer of the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF), about some of the important topics that were discussed at the CRDF April board meeting yesterday and how the foundation plans on working with growers this upcoming season. The next CRDF meeting will be held in June to approve the annual budget. Sponsored Content5 …

research

Evolving Research Priorities for Florida Citrus

Daniel Cooper CRDF, Research

Last week, growers convened in Avon Park for the annual Florida Citrus Growers’ Institute. The daylong seminar program provides updates on the latest research in the fight against HLB and other production issues facing growers. Rick Dantzler, chief operating officer of the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF), presented an update on the organization’s research priorities. He noted that CRDF …

planting

CRAFT Program Promotes New Planting and Knowledge

Daniel Cooper CRAFT, planting, Research

Since its founding in 2019, the Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) program has been responsible for the planting of just under 10,000 acres of new trees. This includes about 6,000 acres of solid-set groves and just shy of 4,000 acres of resets. CRAFT is a first-of-its-kind program and considered an innovation among funding agencies needed to support such efforts. …

december

Sneak Peek: December 2023 Citrus Industry

Daniel Cooper Acreage, HLB Management, Sneak Peek

It’s no secret that Florida’s citrus industry has seen significant shrinkage since the advent of citrus greening in the state. In the December issue of Citrus Industry magazine, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) economist Ariel Singerman takes an in-depth look at the acreage attrition. He examines the figures by county over the past 20 years. …

Seeking Injection Alternatives and Additions

Josh McGill CRDF, HLB Management, Research

The Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) approved three new projects during its September board of directors meeting. The projects will test the injection of different antimicrobial materials to treat HLB. One project will be managed by Ozgur Batuman, a citrus pathologist with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). Another will be run by Kranthi …

Citrus Gets Sasse’s Attention

Josh McGill Citrus, Florida

By J. Scott Angle, jangle@ufl.edu, @IFAS_VP Citrus has the attention of new University of Florida President (UF) Ben Sasse. That bodes well for UF’s continued commitment to the industry. Ag TourIt started on June 3, when I took the president on a 28-hour tour of Florida agriculture. It included a stop at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center in …

Trunk Injection Research Projects Summarized

Josh McGill CRDF, HLB Management

The Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) recently issued a report describing some of its projects testing the injection of oxytetracycline (OTC) into trees as an HLB treatment. 1. Lukasz Stelinski and Kirsten Pelz-Stelinski, both of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), are measuring the impact of OTC injection on the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) …

State Legislature Supports Florida Citrus

Josh McGill Florida, Legislative

Landon Hoffman, director of government affairs for Florida Citrus Mutual, recently provided a recap of Florida legislative actions impacting the citrus industry: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the state budget, which goes into effect on July 1. This year’s budget included more than $65 million to support Florida citrus, the highlight being more than $30 million for the CRAFT (Citrus …

Highlights from the Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference

Josh McGill Events, Florida Citrus Mutual

Florida Citrus Mutual provided a summary of its Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference held in June: After a year full of challenges, the 2023 Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference once again offered an opportunity for more than 500 growers, allied members, family and friends to come together and focus on the highlights of the year and the promise of better …

Exploring Additional Antimicrobials for Citrus Injection

Josh McGill CRDF, HLB Management, Research

The Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) board of directors invited six full proposals on combining other antimicrobials with oxytetracycline hydrochloride (OTC-HCl) during its April meeting. “If growers are going to pay the labor costs for workers to crawl underneath a citrus tree to treat it with OTC-HCl, maybe there are other things that could be mixed with the injection,” …

The Advantage of Youth

Josh McGill CRDF

Morgan McKenna Porter brings new energy to the Citrus Research and Development Foundation. By Ernie Neff New Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) board President Morgan McKenna Porter was born Feb. 29, 1992. There’s only a Feb. 29 every fourth year, a leap year. “So,” she quipped, “CRDF has a seven-year-old president if we go by my leap year age.” …

Sneak Peek: March 2023 Citrus Industry

Josh McGill CRDF, HLB Management, Sneak Peek

The March cover of Citrus Industry magazine features a fresh face in a key industry leadership role for Florida. Morgan McKenna Porter is bringing youthful energy to her new title as president of the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) board of directors. In the cover story, learn about her background as well as her CRDF goals for helping growers …