The Florida Citrus State of the Industry Survey seeks input from growers on key issues affecting their groves. The survey has been conducted for many years, has tracked the trajectory of HLB and reported on production practices. While not a scientific survey, it has reflected general trends over the years. Last month, we published results on trunk-injection therapy and the …
Top Priorities: HLB Resistance and Hurricane Recovery
With 2024 in the rear view mirror, we asked leaders of key citrus organizations what their priorities are for this year. Here’s what they had to say. TREE OF THE FUTURE “For the last 2.5 years, our research strategy at the Citrus Research and Development Foundation has been to kill the bacteria that causes HLB — Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas) …
Survey Tracks Hurricane Milton Impacts and OTC Usage
The Florida Citrus State of the Industry Survey seeks input from growers on key issues affecting their groves. While not a scientific survey, it has reflected general trends over the years. This year’s survey asked growers to weigh in on major events like the impact of Hurricane Milton and the performance of trunk-injection therapies. HURRICANE MILTON Hurricane Milton made landfall …
Two New Early-Season Sweet Oranges for Florida Growers
By Manjul Dutt, Sheetal Ramekar and Gary England Developing new citrus cultivars, whether through conventional breeding or genetic engineering methods like transgenics or CRISPR is potentially the most viable long-term strategy to combat huanglongbing (HLB). Identifying potential survivor trees — citrus trees that exhibit disease tolerance in areas with endemic HLB — can also serve as a useful strategy for …
CITRUS NURSERY SOURCE: Tree Propagations Provide Insight on Plantings
By Peter Chaires The summer of 2024 has been one of suspense, hope and anticipation. There is great suspense in learning how many acres will remain in citrus production, be repurposed or worse yet, be developed. There is a great sense of hope that Mother Nature will provide ideal growing conditions for the crop, and natural disaster recovery will not …
Sneak Peek: October 2024 Citrus Industry
With the news that oxytetracycline (OTC) has been approved for a third consecutive year of trunk injection in Florida citrus, growers are looking to optimize their applications for the coming season. The October cover story in Citrus Industry magazine aims to help growers make the most of their OTC injections. University of Florida researchers tell the good, the bad and …
Perricone Farms Acquires Natalie’s Orchid Island Juice Company
Perricone Farms, a craft juice company headquartered in California, announced its acquisition of Natalie’s Orchid Island Juice Company, based in Fort Pierce, Florida. Perricone Farms stated that the merger “strengthens both brands and enhances the ability to serve customers with excellence in quality and customer service coast-to-coast.” It added that the combined company will be able to take advantage of …
Texas Researcher Honored for HLB Work
Texas A&M researcher Kranthi Mandadi has received the 2024 American Phytopathological Society (APS) Syngenta Award given to select scientists working in areas of crop protection and plant pathology. Mandadi is an associate professor in the Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Weslaco. He was selected for the award primarily for his breakthrough research on fastidious, …
Panel Discussions Highlight Florida Citrus Show Seminars
A pair of panel discussions during the citrus seminars at the Florida Citrus Show gave growers the opportunity to engage with experts on top-of-mind topics. BREEDER RECOMMENDATIONS The citrus seminar program started with a discussion among citrus breeders moderated by Flavia Zambon, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) assistant professor at the Indian River Research and …
A Fresh Approach
Despite the challenges of the Florida citrus industry, Feek Family Citrus continues to successfully grow, pack and ship fresh fruit. In an effort to discourage his son from working in the citrus business, Doug Feek’s father gave him all the worst jobs to do in the family’s small grove. “He wanted me to save my back and work a desk …
Florida Budget Includes $47 Million for Citrus
Florida Citrus Mutual (FCM) recently reported that the Florida Legislature’s fiscal year 2024–25 budget includes $47 million to aid the state’s citrus industry. The funding for various programs is: Additionally, the Florida Legislature’s budget includes a $100 million annual appropriation for the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program, which aims to protect working agricultural operations from development by establishing conservation easements. …
2026 Seminar Program
HomeAttendSeminarsHotelExhibitSponsorThank You Seminar Sponsor!Seminar schedule times are subject to change.Wednesday, April 3, 20248:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – Registration at Trade Show EntranceDon’t wait in line, pre-register today!8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. – Breakfast in Trade Show Hall8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. – Trade Show OpenVisit exhibitor booths!11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. – Tailgate PartyTry exhibitor’s tailgate food and vote …
Sneak Peek: March 2024 Citrus Industry
The March issue of Citrus Industry magazine is centered on tree and soil health. On the cover is Florida citrus grower Bill Lennon of Lennon’s Grove Service. The March cover story details Lennon’s efforts to learn more about survivor trees in his groves that are standing up to HLB. He is working with University of Florida Institute of Food and …
Supply Challenges and Demand Solutions
By Marisa L. Zansler The landscape of the Florida citrus industry has undergone significant transformations throughout its history. Over the past decade, it has faced substantial challenges in both supply and demand. Florida orange juice (OJ) production dropped by 85%, from 615 million gallons in the 2013–14 season to an estimated 94 million gallons in 2023–24. Even as imports increased …
Scouting Tools and Tactics
By Matt Smith Editor’s note: This article grants one continuing education unit (CEU) in the Core category toward the renewal of a Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services restricted-use pesticide license when the accompanying test is submitted and approved. This article is an updated version of a previous article, “Scouting: The Tip of the IPM Spear,” published in the …
Updates on FDOC Research Projects
Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) members on Jan. 17 heard an update on one recent Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) scientific research project and learned about some future research plans. Rosa Walsh, FDOC director of scientific research, presented the information. PROGRAM FOR EXPEDITED PROPAGATIONWalsh reported that the 2022–23 Program for Expedited Propagation of HLB Tolerant and Resistant Trees was successful. She …
Sneak Peek: October 2023 Citrus Industry
Trunk injection of oxytetracycline (OTC) is giving growers hope for the future of the Florida citrus industry. Many are optimistic the new therapy will help improve both fruit quality and quantity. The key will be whether fruit holds on the trees until harvest time. The October issue of Citrus Industry magazine provides the latest information on OTC trunk injection from …
Efforts Continue to Obtain Federal Funding for Hurricane Relief
Florida Citrus Mutual (FCM) reported that Congress was expected to receive a supplemental funding request from the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in early August. “We worked with Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz to craft a letter urging (OMB) Director Shalanda Young to include relief for Florida’s farmers in their (OMB) request,” FCM Executive Vice President/Chief Executive Officer …
Capitalize on Cooperative Research
By Larry Duncan The growers advising the Citrus Research and Development Foundation understand very well the importance of cooperative research projects between growers and scientists. Several years ago, they earmarked a portion of research funding, not for carefully managed laboratory experiments or small plot trials at state, federal or private research centers, but rather for grower-run trials testing potential HLB …
State Legislature Supports Florida Citrus
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 …



























