By Mike Sparks, Florida Citrus Mutual executive vice president/chief executive officer The U.S. Senate is expected to pass the Bipartisan Budget Act (BBA) sometime today. The measure to fund the government includes $2.36 billion for Florida agriculture relief. Please immediately contact your U.S. Representative in the House and strongly urge him or her to vote “yes” on the bill. See …
The Status of Orange Juice Supply
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 …
Sneak Peek: February 2018 Citrus Industry Magazine
The cover of the February issue of Citrus Industry magazine features a familiar face at the Citrus Research and Education Center. Jude Grosser has been a part of the University of Florida facility for more than three decades. He tells about the citrus variety research he has accomplished so far, as well as the goals he is still striving to …
Citrus World Leaders to Meet in Daytona
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 …
PIECES OF THE PAST: Selling Sunshine
By Brenda Eubanks Burnette The citrus industry drew people to Florida with dreams of wealth and retirement, and their livelihood was widely marketed by not only the citrus packinghouses who sold their fruit, but also by their respective chambers of commerce and tourism partners across the state. Florida State Representative Tom Rooney noted in a recent opinion piece that, “The …
Root Weevil Management: Above and Below Ground
By Jawwad A. Qureshi and Larry Duncan Root weevils are a major pest group for many kinds of plants, with at least nine species that colonize citrus. Species commonly infesting citrus include Diaprepes root weevil (Diaprepes abbreviates), blue-green citrus root weevils (Pachnaeus litus and Pachnaeus opalus), little leaf notcher (Artipus floridanus), Fuller rose beetle (Asynonychus godmani) and Sri Lanka weevil …
Freeze Probability and Protection Efforts
Florida hasn’t had a widespread tree-killing citrus freeze in years. That’s very fortunate since the industry has been dealing with the highly destructive HLB disease since 2005 and with negative impacts of Hurricane Irma since September. However, a damaging freeze is always a possibility at this time of year. Consequently, multi-county citrus Extension agent Chris Oswalt held a winter weather …
Florida Citrus Hall of Fame Inductees Chosen for 2018
Two distinguished leaders will be inducted into the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame (FCHOF) during the 56th Citrus Celebration Luncheon on Friday, March 9, 2018, at Florida Southern College in Lakeland. L. Gene Albrigo, of Daytona Shores, and Marvin D. Kahn, of Sebring, will be honored at the luncheon, scheduled to take place at 11:30 a.m. Gene Albrigo has led …
Dramatic Weather Events Disrupt the Orange Juice Market
By Marcos Fava Neves The first 2017–18 U.S. Department of Agriculture forecast for Florida oranges — 54 million boxes — after Hurricane Irma was the lowest number in 70 years. Before the hurricane, we were all expecting that Florida would have more than 80 million boxes of oranges. This possible shortage of approximately 25 million boxes will dramatically affect not-from-concentrate …
International Citrus Business Conference Offers Rare Opportunity
The citrus industry has never been under such major threats to its survival as it is now. Citrus greening has drastically reduced Florida’s citrus crops. Orange juice and grapefruit juice consumption are dramatically down, and it’s not just due to higher prices. Consumers are switching to other beverages. Now more than ever, the citrus industry must gather its experts and …
Agenda
Sponsored ContentTake Advantage of Rising Temperatures to Treat for Fire AntsJuly 1, 2025Take the Sting Out of Fire AntsJune 1, 2025A Simpler, Safer and More Effective Way to Fight HLBOctober 25, 2024
Nursery Challenges Pot License ‘Preference’ for Citrus Industry
A Sarasota nursery has filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of part of a new law that includes a preference for the citrus industry in the state’s awarding of potentially lucrative medical-marijuana licenses. The lawsuit, filed last week by TropiFlora, LLC in Leon County circuit court, is similar to a case filed in September that challenges another provision in the …
Addressing Claims of Herbicide in Orange Juice
By Kevin M. Folta A number of websites recently made claims about detection of the herbicide glyphosate in orange juice from several leading brands1-3. It is important to understand the claims, who is making them, and how to communicate the actual risk, which the science says approaches zero. WHAT IS THE CLAIM? Moms Across America (MAM) claims that it has …
Sneak Peek: November 2017 Citrus Industry Magazine
The November 2017 issue of Citrus Industry magazine features an in-depth article on the first citrus crop forecast of the season. The figure of 54 million boxes of Florida oranges that the USDA predicted was met with mixed reactions and caused some controversy. In the article, industry leaders and growers share their perspectives on the forecast. U.S. Department of Agriculture’s …
A Look Back at 100 Years of Citrus Innovation
By Beverly James, Alec Richman, Brad Buck, Samantha Grenrock and Tom Nordlie The year was 1917. In April, the United States entered World War I. Florida’s population was fast approaching 1 million, and agriculture was the state’s most important economic driver. Citrus cultivation, introduced to Florida 400 years earlier by Spanish explorers, had spawned an industry following the Civil War. …
Citrus Production in Argentina
By Stephen H. Futch and Ariel Singerman In May of 2017, we visited the northwestern citrus production region of Argentina in the provinces of Jujuy, Salta and Tucumán. The purpose of the trip was to learn more about Argentina’s citrus industry and programs being developed to deal with both the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) and huanglongbing (HLB). Argentina has a …
California Agencies Moving to Further Restrict Chlorpyrifos
Chlorpyrifos is being targeted again by environmental agencies. According to a press release from California Citrus Mutual (CCM), the California Environmental Protection Agency announced in mid-August that both California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) and the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment are pursuing new restrictions on chlorpyrifos. CCM says that chlorpyrifos is one of the most important and widely …
Ventura County Growers Tackle Troubles in Paradise
By Len Wilcox Ventura County, California, is perhaps the prettiest place in the world to grow lemons. Nestled between the golden slopes of the coast range and the relaxing seaside and azure-blue ocean, it is just north of Los Angeles on the famous Pacific Coast Highway. In town, Ventura seems far too urban to be an agricultural center; it is …
What Is Happening to the Orange Juice Market?
A historical perspective and current conditions are key to understanding what will happen to the orange juice market in the future if HLB-resistant trees are introduced. By Allen Morris Between 2001–02 and 2016–17, the Nielsen-measured retail U.S. orange juice market declined by 50 percent, Florida orange production declined by 70 percent and retail orange juice prices increased by 53 percent …
Sneak Peek: September 2017 Citrus Industry Magazine
The next issue of Citrus Industry magazine takes a look at the status of citrus labor in Florida. A trio of articles offers insights on harvesting costs, using the H-2A program and keeping skilled workers. Also included in the September issue is coverage from the 2017 Citrus Expo held in Fort Myers, Florida, on August 16–17. An appearance by Secretary …




























