The Status of Orange Juice Supply

Tacy CalliesGlobal Perspectives

By Marcos Fava Neves The newest estimate from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the 2017–18 season shows Florida with only 46 million boxes of oranges coming from 50 million trees, which represents 33 percent lower production than the 2016–17 season. High droppage and small fruits are also expected. Rabobank estimates Florida’s juice production at 235,000 tons [frozen concentrated orange …

support

House Eyes Tax Help for Agriculture Industry

Daniel CooperAgriculture, hurricane, Industry News Release

Florida’s Hurricane Irma-battered agriculture industry, growing anxious as it awaits federal disaster relief, could land some help from the state House as part of a tax-cut package. The House Ways & Means Committee, which is putting together a package, reviewed three measures Wednesday intended to help the industry, which sustained an estimated $2.5 billion in damages from the deadly September …

Tools for Integrated Management of Citrus Psyllids and Leafminers

Tacy CalliesPests, Psyllids, Research

By Jawwad A. Qureshi, Philip A. Stansly and Lukasz L. Stelinski Pest management has always been important for citrus production in Florida. It has become even more critical following invasion of the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) and citrus leafminer (CLM), due to their association with huanglongbing (HLB or citrus greening) and canker diseases, respectively. ACP and CLM develop and reproduce …

Citrus World Leaders to Meet in Daytona

Jaci SchreckengostTop

Business leaders of the global citrus industry will gather in Daytona Beach, Florida, on March 27 and 28 at the International Citrus Business Conference to develop solutions and strategic plans to ensure the survival of the world’s citrus industry. Citrus greening and declining OJ demand are threatening the survival of the citrus industry. Now more than ever, the leaders of …

root

Root Biologist Joins UF Fight Against Citrus Greening

Daniel CooperCitrus, Citrus Greening, Industry News Release, Research

By Robin Koestoyo, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences An inventive fruit tree researcher has joined the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Indian River Research and Education Center. Lorenzo Rossi is the center’s first-ever root biology professor and will support the university’s statewide Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences’ commitment to restore Florida’s $9 …

citrus greening

UF/IFAS Researchers Awarded $10.5M to Work on HLB Resistance/Tolerance

Daniel CooperCitrus, Citrus Greening, Industry News Release, Research

With citrus greening devastating Florida’s $8.6 billion-a-year citrus industry, three University of Florida scientists will use $10.52 million in federal grants to study ways to help growers cope with the disease, including research on genetic editing that may produce potentially resistant fruit and trees. Since greening — or huanglongbing (HLB) — was first reported in Florida in 2005, Florida’s citrus …

Freeze Summary for Florida and Georgia Citrus

Ernie Nefffreeze

Temperatures dipped into the 20s in much of the Florida Citrus Belt on the morning of Jan. 18, but the state’s largest citrus growers association expected little, if any, freeze damage. Florida Citrus Mutual spokesman Andrew Meadows said there could be minor or moderate fruit loss in some low-lying pockets, “but absolutely no tree damage.” The coldest Florida citrus region …

citrus

Citrus Agency Shifts Money as Industry Seeks Aid

Daniel CooperCitrus, Citrus Greening, Industry News Release

The Florida Department of Citrus adjusted its budget Wednesday for the second time this growing season, as leaders of the storm-battered industry hold out hope the U.S. Senate will approve a disaster-relief package. The Florida Citrus Commission, which oversees the department, agreed to shift more than $70,000 out of administration, scientific-research and global-marketing budgets to cover an anticipated drop in …

citrus greening

USDA Invests in Fighting Citrus Greening Disease

Daniel CooperCitrus, Citrus Greening, Industry News Release, Research

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced awards to combat citrus greening disease. The funding to support research and Extension programs is made through the emergency Citrus Disease Research and Extension Program (CDRE). CDRE was authorized as part of the 2014 Farm Bill. “The need to advance research and Extension to develop management …

Dialoging to Climb Out from the HLB Hole

Tacy CalliesHLB Management

By Bill Castle and Pete Spyke There’s an old story that goes something like this: A farmer was out walking one evening and fell into a hole deep enough to require help to get out. Later, another farmer was walking by and jumped into the hole. The farmer in the hole was astounded and asked, “Why did you do that?” …

january

January Citrus Crop Forecast Is Stable

Daniel CooperCrop Forecast

According to Mark Hudson of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the January 2018 Florida all-orange forecast is 46 million boxes, unchanged from the December forecast. If realized, this will be 33 percent less than last season’s production. The forecast consists of 19 million boxes of non-Valencia oranges (early, midseason and Navel varieties) and 27 million boxes of Valencia oranges. For …

California Amends HLB Quarantine Zones

Len WilcoxCalifornia Corner, HLB Management

  On Jan. 1, 2018, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) implemented an emergency regional quarantine to more effectively protect California citrus from huanglongbing (HLB) disease. The quarantine created seven zones: 1) counties where HLB has not been detected and are not next to citrus-producing counties or the Mexican border; 2, 3 and 4) counties widely infested with ACP …

International Citrus Business Conference Speaker Spotlight: Chris Stone

Jaci SchreckengostCitrus Greening, Top

At the International Citrus Business Conference, speakers will discuss strategic issues that concern the citrus industry, including HLB, juice production and how markets around the world compare to one another. Chris Stone, of Winter Haven, Florida, will be speaking at the conference about the impact that HLB has on prices and availability of cold-pressed citrus oils. Stone said he has …

citrus

Cold-Tolerant Citrus Industry Update

Jaci SchreckengostFreeze Protection, Top

Two University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) professionals spoke at the recent Cold-Tolerant Citrus Production for the Southeastern Coastal Plain event about the current state of the industry. UF/IFAS entomologist Xavier Martini said he has seen growth in interest for cold-tolerant citrus between 2016 and 2017. He also said he has seen an increase in the …

California Citrus Research Board: Serving Growers for 50 Years

Tacy CalliesResearch

By Len Wilcox The grower-funded California Citrus Research Board (CRB) is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Headquartered in the Central Valley city of Visalia, under the direction of president/CEO Gary Schulz, the CRB awards more than $7 million each year to researchers throughout California. Since 2008, CRB has focused much of its efforts on huanglongbing (HLB), with approximately $33 …

Diversification Possibilities for Cold-Tolerant Citrus

Jaci SchreckengostFreeze Protection, Top

North Florida and south Georgia citrus growers now have opportunities to diversify their crops and expand their season with cold-tolerant citrus varieties. Peter Andersen, a professor of horticulture at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences North Florida Research and Education Center in Quincy, said satsumas make up a majority of the citrus industry in the area. …

International Citrus Business Conference Focuses on Market Improvement

Jaci SchreckengostCitrus Greening, Top

The 2018 International Citrus Business Conference will be a meeting to tackle the pressing issues facing the citrus industry, including the rapid decline of citrus juice markets. Allen Morris, of Morris Agribusiness Services, says the citrus industry has lost 50 percent of the U.S. orange juice market since 2002. The industry continues to decline at a swift 5 to 7 …

HLB

Tools for Growing Citrus in the HLB Era

Ernie NeffHLB Management, Production

Economist Tom Spreen thinks advanced production systems (APS) and citrus under protective screen (CUPS) offer hope for some growers in the face of HLB. Spreen, a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences professor emeritus, discussed APS and CUPS at a recent Gulf Citrus Growers Association economic seminar in LaBelle. Spreen says growing with APS “means you have …

Sneak Peek: January 2018 Citrus Industry Magazine

Tacy CalliesSneak Peek

Citrus Industry magazine subscribers have one more Christmas present to open. The January issue comes packaged with a complimentary copy of a brand new magazine, Vegetable and Specialty Crop News. Brought to you by AgNet Media, VSCNews is geared to growers in the Southeast. It contains production-related information as well as updates on big-picture agricultural issues like trade reform and …

grapefruit

Events Educate Growers on Cold-Tolerant Citrus

Jaci SchreckengostFreeze Protection, Top

Events across the Southeast are being held to help meet growers’ needs for information and resources on growing cold-tolerant citrus. Many north Florida and south Georgia growers are interested in these crops as weather patterns begin to shift. One event was Cold Tolerant Citrus Production for the Southeastern Coastal Plain, held on Dec. 13. “We’re trying to have a meeting …