citrus concentrates market

Citrus Concentrates Market to Rise

Daniel CooperInternational, Orange Juice

The global citrus concentrates market is anticipated to rise from U.S. $9.69 billion in 2025 to U.S. $13.81 billion by 2032, according to Persistence Market Research. The firm reports that citrus concentrates are in demand due to their versatility, natural flavor and nutritional benefits. They are widely used in juices, carbonated drinks, confectionery and dairy products, with orange and lemon …

SAR

SAR Sprays Protect Against Psyllids, HLB and Canker

Daniel CooperDiseases, HLB Management

Recent research has shown that systemic acquired resistance (SAR) sprays can protect young citrus tree flushes from Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) feeding, HLB and citrus canker. ACP is the vector that spreads HLB disease from tree to tree. Researchers with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) and Bayer Crop Science report that SAR sprays can …

recovery

What You Need to Know for the 2025–26 Trunk-Injection Season

Daniel CooperHLB Management, OTC Expert

Sponsored Content Q: With the 2025–26 trunk-injection season near, what steps can be taken to make the ReMedium TI® injections the most effective for increased fruit yield and quality? A: The basics of the injection are still the same: There is one factor that is new in the injection realm. Research conducted at the University of Florida shows that injection …

Field crates

PIECES OF THE PAST — Field Crates: From Mill to Memory

Daniel CooperPieces of the Past

By Brenda Eubanks Burnette The humble field crate has its roots in the practical demands of grove labor, long before citrus became a branded commodity. Often confused with the crate developed in 1875 by E.B. Bean that was used to ship citrus, and which featured colorful citrus crate labels, the field crate’s origin is less about marketing and more about …

hall of fame

Florida Citrus Hall of Fame Announces 2026 Inductees

Daniel CooperCitrus

The Florida Citrus Hall of Fame Selection Committee has announced the inductees for the Class of 2026: Brenda Eubanks Burnette, Kristen Carlson, the late James “Doc” Redd and L.W. “Pete” Timmer. They will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on March 27, 2026, at the George W. Jenkins Fieldhouse at Florida Southern College in Lakeland. Burnette is being honored …

financial management

Financial Conference Covers Tariffs and Economic Outlook

Daniel CooperCitrus

The Florida Agricultural Financial Management Conference returned Sept. 30 to Oct. 2 after several years of hiatus. The event was held at the Margaritaville Resort in Kissimmee, Florida. Speakers covered topics including measuring financial performance, risk management, optimizing business operations and cybersecurity. Ed Seifried, professor emeritus of economics and business at Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania, was a featured speaker. …

genetic

Improving Citrus Using Genetic Tools

Daniel CooperBreeding

By Manjul Dutt Editor’s Note: This is the first in a series of two articles on plant improvement. Next month will feature the timeline for CRISPR-developed trees. Traditional methods for improving citrus, such as crossbreeding different varieties, can be time-consuming due to the creation of a random mix of genes from both parents through a process called genetic introgression, leading …

HLB management

HLB Management Requires an Integrated Approach

Daniel CooperCitrus Expo, HLB Management

At the recent Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo, Ozgur Batuman reminded seminar attendees there is no silver bullet for HLB management. Instead, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researcher proposes that growers integrate several tools for the management of HLB. These tools include a variety of ways to control HLB-spreading psyllids; oxytetracycline (OTC) trunk injection; …

citrus production

Spain’s Citrus Production to Hit 16-Year Low

Daniel CooperCrop Forecast, International

Spain’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has forecast national citrus production of 5.44 million tons for the 2025–26 season, which began Sept. 1. That’s 10.7% lower than last season’s production and the lowest production level in the last 16 years.  The decline is mainly due to: Oranges, small citrus fruit and lemons are expected to see significant declines, while …

October

Sneak Peek: October 2025 Citrus Industry

Daniel CooperSneak Peek

Breeding efforts to develop citrus trees resistant to HLB are well underway. But how long does the process take before trees are available to growers? Manjul Dutt, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) assistant professor, addresses this question and more in the Citrus Industry section of the October issue of Specialty Crop Grower magazine. His article …

Blue Goose

PIECES OF THE PAST: True Blue Goose

Daniel CooperPieces of the Past

By Brenda Eubanks Burnette James S. Crutchfield came into the world on a summer day — July 3, 1874 — in the small farming town of Goshen, Kentucky. His folks, Albert and Hatta, worked the land, and that country know-how ran deep in Crutchfield from the start. He got his schooling in Louisville, then set his sights on Florida in …

UF/IFAS

UF/IFAS Hosts Citrus Packinghouse Day

Daniel CooperAwards, Events, Packing

The 64th annual Citrus Packinghouse Day was held in early September at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred. The event drew fresh fruit growers and packers from various parts of Florida. Presentations were given on shipping regulations, new varieties and citrus under protective screen (CUPS). Fresh fruit, …

director

A New Director for Two Citrus Organizations

Daniel CooperAwards, Miss Florida Citrus

Kristi Joyner on April 1 succeeded Brenda Eubanks Burnette as executive director of both the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame (FCHOF) and the Miss Florida Citrus program. BACKGROUND AND GOALS “I started my career in political campaigns and grass roots advocacy, working on numerous successful congressional, state legislative and county commission campaigns,” Joyner said. “I spent many years as a …

Expo

Expo Delivers Research Updates and Practical Tools for Growers

Daniel CooperCitrus Expo, Tip of the Week

By Michael E. Rogers The 2025 Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo took place Aug. 20–21 at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa. The event brought growers, researchers and industry professionals together for two full days of education and discussion. This year’s program featured what may have been a record number of University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences …

fdoc

FDOC Addresses Misconceptions About OJ Brix Proposal

Daniel CooperFlorida Department of Citrus

The Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) addressed what it called misconceptions surrounding the recent Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposal to decrease the required sugar levels in pasteurized orange juice (OJ). Excerpts from an FDOC statement follow:  The Florida citrus industry … (has) advocated for this modification for years to more accurately reflect the natural changes in Florida’s citrus crop. …

Farmers Feeding Florida

Farmers Feeding Florida Initiative Launched

Daniel CooperAgriculture, Florida

Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson, Senate President Ben Albritton (R-Wauchula) and Senate President Pro Tempore Jason Brodeur (R-Sanford) recently launched Florida’s statewide Farmers Feeding Florida initiative. Spearheaded by Simpson in partnership with the Feeding Florida Network, the Farmers Feeding Florida initiative is a priority of Albritton, sponsored in the Senate by Brodeur. The initiative expands Florida’s food bank infrastructure …

turnbull

PIECES OF THE PAST: The Turnbull Story

Daniel CooperPieces of the Past

By Brenda Eubanks Burnette I often wondered about the information on the Turnbull label that reads: “Turnbull Hammock. Settled in 1767 by Andrew Turnbull. Home of the Famous Indian River Oranges and Grapefruit. Grown and Packed by Oak Hill Citrus Growers Assn. – Oak Hill, Florida.” I was astounded to find out that a family in Vero Beach was direct …

global

Strong Growth for Global OJ Market Projected

Daniel CooperInternational, Orange Juice

The global orange juice (OJ) market is anticipated to expand from $3.5 billion in 2024 to $5.8 billion by 2034, according to a Global Insight Services report. According to the report, global OJ volume, estimated at 1.7 million metric tons in 2024, is forecast to reach 2.1 million metric tons by 2028. The OJ market is witnessing dynamic growth, primarily …

gene

Gene-Edited Citrus Comes Closer to Commercial Realization

Daniel CooperBreeding, Research

In 2012, Jennifer Doudna, Emmanuelle Charpentier and their research team published a paper in the journal Science describing the CRISPR-Cas9 system as a precise gene-editing tool. It was considered a major scientific breakthrough with huge possibilities in human medicine and in agriculture. Doudna and Charpentier were awarded the Noble Peace Prize in chemistry in 2020 for their pioneering work with …

hurricane season

NOAA Updates Hurricane Season Outlook

Daniel Cooperhurricane

Forecasters with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) continue to forecast an above-normal Atlantic hurricane season. On Aug. 7, they updated the number of expected named storms to 13 to 18 (with winds of 39 mph or greater). Of those storms, five to nine could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or greater), including two to five major hurricanes …