Doug Bournique, executive director of the Indian River Citrus League, says that for about a year now, vegetable growers have been moving in on old citrus land in the northeast corner of Lake Okeechobee. The land has been out of citrus production for many years, but has grown in popularity with California and Midwest vegetable growers. Bournique says it all started …
Sneak Peek: June Citrus Industry Magazine
The June issue of Citrus Industry magazine is coming soon. This edition is all about citrus beyond the Sunshine State. Readers will notice a new column in the magazine, called Global Perspectives, authored by a Brazilian citrus expert, Marcos Fava Neves. Ernie Neff, senior correspondent at large, examines the citrus industries in California and Texas. His articles include both challenges …
Discussing Genetic Engineering With a Concerned Public
By: Kevin Folta Our farm producers have brought unprecedented low-priced, safe food to the United States and the world. Despite the success, there are challenges to sustained production that may best be solved with genetic engineering. These technologies have proven safe and effective for almost two decades, mostly in the arena of high-acreage agronomic crops like corn, soy and cotton. …
EPA Releases Preliminary Risk Assessment
EPA Releases Preliminary Risk Assessment for Insecticides Potentially Harmful to Bees From the Environmental Protection Agency: WASHINGTON– The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a preliminary pollinator risk assessment for the neonicotinoid insecticide, imidacloprid, which shows a threat to somepollinators. EPA’s assessment, prepared in collaboration with California’s Department of Pesticide Regulation, indicates that imidacloprid potentially poses risk to hives when …
USDA Grant To Attack Citrus Greening
Researchers share $4 million USDA grant to attack citrus greening From UF/IFAS: By: Kimberly Moore Wilmoth and Kathleen Haughney GAINESVILLE, Fla. — International researchers, including ones at the University of Florida and Florida State University, are sharing in a $4 million grant from the United States Department of Agriculture to attack the problem of citrus greening, a disease that has …