Common Crop Chemical Leaves Bees Susceptible to Deadly Viruses

Daniel CooperIndustry News Release, Research

By Sara LaJeunesse, Penn State University A chemical that is thought to be safe and is, therefore, widely used on crops — such as almonds, wine grapes and tree fruits — to boost the performance of pesticides, makes honey bee larvae significantly more susceptible to a deadly virus, according to researchers at Penn State and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. …

Folta Named Pro Farmer Ag Person of the Year

Daniel CooperCitrus

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Renowned University of Florida genomics and photobiology researcher Kevin Folta has been named 2016 Pro Farmer Ag Person of the Year. Folta is professor and chair of the horticulture sciences department at the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. “Dr. Folta has been a leader in the fight against the anti-GMO movement for years,” said Chip …

Fresh Oranges on a tree.

Increase in Florida Non-Valencia Oranges

Daniel CooperCitrus, Crop Forecast

Mark Hudson of the U.S. Department of Agriculture/National Agricultural Statistics Service delivered the November citrus crop forecast. The Florida Non-Valencia oranges are forecast this month at 36 million boxes, up 2 million boxes from the initial forecast last month. Valencia oranges remained at 36 million boxes. Grapefruit for Florida remained at 9.6 million boxes, with white at 2.1 million boxes …

Solace Found in Initial Citrus Crop Forecast

Josh McGillCrop Forecast

A bit of weight was lifted off of Florida citrus growers’ shoulders after hearing the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s initial 2016–17 Florida citrus crop forecast that calls for 70 million boxes of oranges. Citrus industry members gathered at Florida Citrus Mutual’s Political Action Committee Clay Shoot and Crop Estimate Luncheon to hear the live forecast from Southeast AgNet. The event, …

Fruit Fly’s Genetic Code Revealed

Daniel CooperCitrus, Industry News Release

An international team of scientists from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and other research organizations have sequenced the complete genome of the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata. This pest attacks more than 260 fruit, vegetable and nut crops worldwide, causing billions of dollars annually in direct damage, export sanctions, lost markets, and other costs. Sponsored Content5 Facts About Fire Ants …

florida citrus

Texas Citrus: Fruit Flies and Other Pesky Problems

Josh McGillGrapefruit

By: Ernie Neff  Mexican fruit flies were a major nuisance to Dale Murden this spring. “As a fresh fruit grower in south Texas, I have to say Mexican fruit fly is our biggest worry,” the citrus grower and president of Texas Citrus Mutual said. The fruit flies infested Texas’ three-county (Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy) citrus industry in November 2015, prompting …

citrus crop forecast

How to Irk the Crop Forecast Lady

Tacy CalliesForecast

Candi Erick is keenly involved in production of Florida’s citrus crop forecasts. She’s easy to get along with, but there is one way to get under her skin. By Ernie Neff If you want to irritate Candi Erick, whose primary job is overseeing data collection leading to Florida’s citrus crop forecasts, just tell her, “It’s good enough for government work.” …

citrus acreage tumbled

Florida Citrus Acreage Skids 4 Percent to 480,121

Ernie NeffEconomics

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Commercial Citrus Inventory, released Monday, shows total Florida citrus acreage tumbled 4 percent from last year to the lowest level since tracking began in 1966. The gross loss of 31,365 acres is the largest loss recorded in a single season since one-year interval surveys began in 2009. New plantings – at 10,090 acres – are …

Saving Florida’s Citrus Industry Through Collaboration and Innovation

Kelsey FryCitrus, Citrus Greening

From Kevin Shea, Administrator, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service: The Florida citrus industry is under siege and the invader is a tiny bug called the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP). The ACP spreads a disease known as Huanglongbing (HLB) or citrus greening, and together they are destroying groves that have been cultivated by families for generations. But all is …

Strauss Joins UF/IFAS Fight Against Citrus Greening

Kelsey FryAgriculture, Citrus Greening

A new researcher has joined the University of Florida’s fight against citrus greening, which has devastated the state’s industry. Sarah Strauss, a soil microbiologist most recently from Davis, California, has accepted a position at the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Southwest Florida Research and Education Center in Immokalee. Strauss, an assistant professor with an Extension appointment, …

Citrus Forecast Has Valencia Oranges Up Slightly

Kelsey FryCitrus

The final citrus crop forecast of the 2015-16 season, issued by Mark Hudson of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Statistics Board, is up 100,000 boxes, now at 81.5 million boxes. The total comprises 36.1 million boxes of non-Valencia oranges (early, mid-season, Navel and Temple varieties), unchanged from last month, and 45.4 million boxes of Valencia oranges, up 100,000 boxes …

Q-Biotype Whitefly Expands to 8 Florida Counties

Kelsey FryUncategorized

The Q-biotype whitefly, a significant pest that could damage agriculture, has spread from Palm Beach to seven other Florida counties, according to a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researcher. Crops that could eventually be affected include tomatoes, squash, beans, watermelons and many other vegetables and ornamentals, said Lance Osborne, an entomology professor at UF/IFAS. The …

citrus crop forecast

Citrus Crop Forecast Has Slight Increases

Kelsey FryCitrus, Legislative

Mark Hudson of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agriculture Statistics Service in Washington, D.C., issued the June citrus crop forecast. The 2015-2016 Florida all-orange forecast released is raised to 81.4 million boxes. The total includes 36.1 million boxes of non-Valencia oranges (early, mid-season, Navel and Temple varieties) and 45.3 million boxes of Valencia oranges. For the previous nine …

Sterile Insect Release Facility Gets Upgrade

Kelsey FryGenetic Engineering, Pests

John D. Renshaw, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) sterile insect technology director, says that the USDA Sterile Insect Release Facility is one of the department’s best-kept secrets. And since there are only 50 similar facilities worldwide, many might agree with him. The sterile insect program in Sarasota, Florida, has been sterilizing male Mediterranean fruit flies (medflies) from its facility on …

Deadline Approaching for Citrus Research Grants

Kelsey FryCitrus, Citrus Greening, Legislative

Pre-applications for the emergency Citrus Disease Research and Extension (CDRE) grants are available for fiscal year 2016. The estimated total program funding is $22 million, as a part of the third installment of the $125 million appropriated in the 2014 Farm Bill. To find a detailed summary of CDRE project eligibility criteria and application instructions, visit nifa.usda.gov and search “CDRE …

Disrupting Psyllid Mating to Control HLB

Josh McGillCitrus, Citrus Greening

By: R. W. Mankin, B. Rohde and S. McNeill The Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) is the primary vector of the devastating huanglongbing (HLB) disease of citrus. Efficient monitoring of ACP at low population densities is essential to conduct management programs with timely effectiveness for protection of Florida groves. Extensive research is being conducted to better understand ACP biology and behavior, …

Florida Citrus Hall of Fame Inductees

Josh McGillCitrus

Citrus Industry Legends Inducted into Florida Citrus Hall of Fame Friday, March 11, was the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame Celebration Luncheon, where a crowd of over 400 citrus community and industry members welcomed three new inductees into the Hall of Fame. The inductees are Dr. William S. “Bill” Castle of Lake Alfred, John C. “Jack” Norris of Palm City, …

Citrus Crop Forecast Increases

Kelsey FryCitrus

Mark Hudson, of the National Agricultural Statistics Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA/NASS) in Washington, D.C., issued the March citrus crop forecast. Although there was no increase in the non-Valencia oranges for this month, an increase was reported for the Valencias. There also was a slight increase for white grapefruit. Florida crop forecast: Download Audio Full crop forecast: …