peanut snail

Management of the Invasive Peanut Snail in Citrus

Daniel CooperPests

Two University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers and an Extension agent authored an article in the Cold Hardy Citrus Connection about the invasive peanut snail in citrus. The authors are Xavier Martini, associate professor of entomology; Issac Esquivel, assistant professor of entomology; and Extension agent Danielle Williams. Excerpts follow. Bulimulus bonariensis (also known as Bulimulus …

Farmworker Protection Rule

Lawsuit Challenges Farmworker Protection Rule

Daniel CooperLabor, Legal, Regulation

A coalition of states, including Florida and Georgia, recently joined a lawsuit filed by the Southeastern Legal Foundation (SLF) challenging the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Farmworker Protection Rule. DOL announced the final rule in late April, saying it would strengthen protections for farmworkers in the H-2A program. The Farmworker Protection Rule will become effective June 28, 2024. SLF is …

cold hardiness

Factors Influencing Cold Hardiness of Citrus

Daniel CooperCold Hardy, Georgia

Jake Price, University of Georgia county Extension coordinator, recently reported on the factors that influence cold hardiness of citrus. Excerpts follow: VARIETY The most obvious factor is the variety of citrus. In order of cold hardiness, the three main classes of citrus are mandarins, sweet oranges and grapefruit. Acid types of citrus such as lemons and limes are the least …

Citrus Weathers Subfreezing Nights in Cold-Hardy Region

Tacy CalliesCold Hardy, freeze

By Clint Thompson Trees in the cold-hardy citrus region weathered last week’s multiple nights of sub-freezing temperatures, according to one industry expert. “I had somebody here at the house and they asked, ‘Are you still running sprinklers?’ I was like, ‘Heavens no, but it’s all that ice thawing out and running out into the road.’ It’s a pond out there …

wage

H-2A Wage Rates to Rise Again

Daniel CooperLabor

Florida’s adverse effect wage rate (AEWR), the minimum wage for H-2A agricultural workers, is estimated to climb 3% in 2024. Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association (FFVA) reported the new Florida AEWR is estimated to be $14.77 per hour. Georgia’s AEWR is expected to rise 7%. Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA) reported Georgia’s new AEWR is estimated to be …

evaporative cooling

Avoid Evaporative Cooling in Citrus Freeze Protection

Daniel Cooperfreeze, Weather

Both University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) speakers at a Nov. 28 winter weather workshop warned about the risk of evaporative cooling when using irrigation to protect citrus from freezing temperatures. Microsprinkler irrigation has been the main form of cold protection for Florida citrus for at least the last five decades.     The need to understand evaporative …

Sugar Belle Is Cold Hardiest Among Non-Satsumas

Josh McGillVarieties

A survey by 15 Extension agents showed Sugar Belle mandarin to be the most cold-hardy non-satsuma citrus variety following a major freeze in Georgia in December 2022. Sugar Belle was followed in order of cold hardiness by Tango, navel oranges, Kishu and grapefruit. Shiranui was the least cold hardy non-satsuma variety. University of Georgia Extension agent Jake Price reported the …

Early Reports: Citrus Fared Well in Idalia

Josh McGillCold Hardy, hurricane

The cold-hardy citrus region endured another test of Mother Nature on Wednesday with Hurricane Idalia moving through the Southeast. One industry expert is optimistic that the area’s trees survived this latest challenge.  “I am happy to report that citrus in Georgia appears to have fared very well,” said grower Lindy Savelle, president of the Georgia Citrus Association and member of the …

Yellow-Legged Hornet Poses Threat to Pollinators

Josh McGillGeorgia, Pests

A yellow-legged hornet (Vespa velutina), which poses a threat to honeybees and other pollinators, was recently detected near Savannah, Georgia. This is the first time a live specimen of this species has been detected in the United States. Its presence was confirmed by the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA), in coordination with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant …

Developing Management for a New Snail Pest

Josh McGillPests

By Lauren Diepenbrock A recently established snail species, Bulimulus bonariensis (also known as Bulimulus sporadicus), has been growing in population throughout the Southeast for the past few years. Growers first reported concerns about this snail in 2020 when they found the pest covering microjets and interfering with irrigation in the late spring/early summer (Figure 1). At the time, it was …

Minimal Crop Expected in Cold-Hardy Citrus Region

Josh McGillCold Hardy, freeze

Citrus harvests are just a few months away for growers in the cold-hardy citrus region of eastern Alabama, southern Georgia and the Florida Panhandle. Unfortunately, those harvests will be reduced to about 25% of the normal crop, according to industry leaders. The Christmas freeze event devastated this year’s crop in the region. Kim Jones, who grows and packs citrus in …

new tree planting

Growers Learn About Citrus Roots

Josh McGillRoot health

Florida researcher Ute Albrecht shared information about citrus tree roots at the recent Georgia Citrus Association annual conference. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) associate professor specializing in plant physiology discussed rootstocks and soils, suggested transplanting tips and touched briefly on freeze tolerance. Albrecht works at the UF/IFAS Southwest Florida Research and Education Center in …

Freeze Had Greatest Impact on Young Trees

Josh McGillCold Hardy, freeze

Lindy Savelle, president of the Georgia Citrus Association, and other industry leaders continue to preach to growers the need to diversify their crop portfolios. The Christmas freeze event that ravaged production in the Southeast last December should not be a deterrent for farmers hoping to produce citrus other than satsuma mandarins. Yes, non-satsuma citrus trees were impacted more by the …

The Seasonal Satsuma Bottleneck

Josh McGillCold Hardy, Mandarins

The short timeframe for satsuma mandarins to be harvested and sold in the fall created a bottleneck of supply around the Thanksgiving holiday in 2022. An excess supply led to a challenge for growers attempting to sell their fruit when demand diminished, according to Kim Jones, who grows and packs citrus in Florida and Georgia. “The week of Thanksgiving when …

rootstock

Satsumas Look ‘Pretty Darn Good’ Post-freeze

Josh McGillCold Hardy, freeze

Satsumas in the Sweet Valley Citrus region appear to have aced their first test of multiple days of subfreezing temperatures. It is still a wait-and-see approach with other varieties, however. One grower was extremely optimistic about satsumas, the cold-hardy mandarins that look to have survived December temperatures in the teens. “Satsumas are pretty darn good. We lost some leaves, got …

Tropical Storm Option Added to Hurricane Insurance

Josh McGillhurricane, Insurance

After hearing directly from agricultural producers, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is expanding its Hurricane Insurance Protection-Wind Index (HIP-WI) Endorsement with a Tropical Storm Option. USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) will offer this option for the 2023 crop year. “During the past few years, many farmers have felt the impacts of tropical activity, and it’s important that we offer …

New President Has Plans for Cold Hardy Citrus Association

Josh McGillCold Hardy

Mark Clikas, who became president of the Cold Hardy Citrus Association (CHCA) in February, has a recovery focus and sales goal for the group. “My focus is to get the members of CHCA more involved in the organization to help the growers improve the citrus trees’ health after the major freeze event around Christmas 2022,” he said. “My goal is …

Sweet Valley Citrus Expansion Could Stall

Josh McGillCold Hardy, freeze

Trees in the Sweet Valley Citrus region have been in high demand in recent years. Plantings of satsuma mandarins and other citrus varieties have steadily risen the past few years in Georgia, Alabama and North Florida. That steady climb is expected to stall this year, however. Following the Christmas freeze event that rattled the industry in the Southeast in December …

Thinking Outside the Box With Satsumas

Josh McGillCold Hardy

Satsuma mandarins are big business in the Georgia and North Florida citrus industry. Satsumas are desirable from the consumer perspective, and the fruit’s cold hardiness is suited for the northern reaches of citrus production. Cold hardiness was proven to be especially important after freezes in late December and in January. But a problem with satsumas is that the fruit matures …

PIECES OF THE PAST: A Tall Tale in the Name of Marketing

Josh McGillMarketing, Pieces of the Past

By Brenda Eubanks Burnette I came across a gift fruit brochure for Pioneer-Chester Groves, which had an interesting story on the inside cover regarding the history of the company. The story, by Dr. Bob (Schlernitzauer), is as follows: “Back in the days when the land along the Indian River was nothing but jungle, and the white settlers were few, a …