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Below you'll see everything we could locate for your search of “FDA”
More than 1,300 acres of ranchlands, wetlands and floodplains along Charlie Creek in Hardee County are now permanently protected through Florida’s Rural and Family Lands Protection Program (RFLPP). The protection ensures long-term conservation of critical water resources, wildlife habitat and working agricultural lands. The Charlie Creek Marsh project safeguards more than 3 miles of Charlie Creek, an important tributary to the …
As growers surveyed fields and groves after the freeze in late January and early February, it was clear the damage has been catastrophic in many cases. That was confirmed by Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson with the first estimate of damage released on Feb 20. Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ (FDACS) preliminary estimates of losses to Florida …
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson announced that beginning Feb. 25, Florida’s agricultural producers can apply for more than $600 million in disaster assistance for impacts from the 2023 and 2024 hurricane seasons. In addition, Simpson is asking the federal government for approval to use Florida’s disaster block grant program to immediately fund relief for agricultural producers impacted by the …
Valencia SPB 1-14-19 remained the most propagated Florida citrus variety for at least the fourth straight year in 2024–25, according to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). The FDACS Division of Plant Industry’s Bureau of Citrus Budwood Registration recently released the Citrus Budwood Annual Report 2024–25. The report is a highly detailed 44-page document. US-942 returned as …
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) has announced the opening of an application cycle for landowners to apply to the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program. The program partners with farmers and ranchers through rural lands protection easements to preserve working agricultural operations. Landowners can learn more about the program and submit applications here through Jan. 23, …
By Taylor O’Bannon, William Mitchell, Morgan Madison, Stephanie Brown, Keith Schneider and Michelle Danyluk The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Produce Safety Extension Team compiled a wish list of food-safety items for citrus growers to prepare for the new year. Some of these items are must-haves straight from the Food and Drug Administration’s Food Safety …
Federal and state agriculture officials recently made changes to huanglongbing (HLB, also known as citrus greening disease) and Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) quarantines in California. They also removed a Mexican fruit fly (Mexfly) quarantine in Texas. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) reported these changes. CALIFORNIA HLB On Nov. 25, APHIS and the California …
Florida Farm Bureau has submitted comments supporting the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) proposal to amend the standard of identity (SOI) for pasteurized orange juice (POJ) by lowering the minimum soluble solids content from 10.5° to 10° Brix. The FDA proposed an amendment earlier this year in response to a 2021 Florida citrus industry petition. Following are some comments from …
Florida Farm Bureau commented on issues of importance to agriculturists after the government shutdown ended. Parts of the Florida Farm Bureau announcement follow: On Wednesday, Nov. 12, President Donald Trump signed legislation that funds the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Department of Veterans Affairs for the remainder of fiscal year 2026. The measure …
Federal and state agriculture officials expanded the Santa Clara Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) quarantine twice in late October in California’s Alameda and Santa Clara counties. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) enacted the expansion. On Oct. 21, the agencies expanded the quarantine in response to …
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers are putting genes from a non-citrus plant into Hamlin oranges to develop citrus plants that fight huanglongbing (HLB), also known as citrus greening disease. The newly developed plant is called NuCitrus. It’s based on a protein called Arabidopsis NPR1 (AtNPR1). The new citrus shows strong tolerance to HLB, but not …
Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) Chairman Steve Johnson recently cited ways the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) has been helping keep momentum going for Florida citrus. During the Sept. 23–26 International Citrus and Beverage Conference, Marisa Zansler (FDOC director of economic and market research) gave a citrus outlook and marketing update to key stakeholders in the beverage market. The overarching message …
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. …
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 …
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill that extended the Citrus Health Response Program’s (CHRP) Abandoned Grove Initiative. The Abandoned Grove Initiative allows citrus growers to terminate their trees but maintain their agricultural classification with the county property appraiser’s office even if the land remains fallow. While the program previously allowed participants to keep their agricultural classification for five years, …
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson announced the launch of a centralized online information hub for the state’s disaster block grant program for agricultural producers impacted by hurricanes in 2023 and 2024. The new webpage — FDACS.gov/BlockGrant — will serve as the official source for updates, eligibility criteria and application details as they become available. “Florida’s agriculture industry was hit …
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins appeared today at Cooperative Producers Inc. in Felda, Florida, to meet with agricultural leaders and growers to announce additional U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) assistance to help producers recover from Hurricanes Idalia, Debby, Helene and Milton. Rollins signed a block grant agreement with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) to provide …
Florida’s tax package was signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis June 30. The legislation includes a provision regarding the Greenbelt Law, or tax classification of agricultural land. As of July 1, the revised law ensures that lands taken out of production through a state or federal eradication or quarantine program, such as the Citrus Health Response Program, shall continue to …
Citrus black spot (CBS) quarantines have been established for the first time in Florida’s DeSoto and Highlands counties. In addition, sections of other counties have been added to the existing CBS quarantine in Florida. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA/APHIS) in cooperation with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Division of Plant …
Matt Joyner, Florida Citrus Mutual executive vice president and chief executive officer, issued the following statement in reaction to the Florida Legislature’s approval of nearly $140 million ($139,673,565) for the citrus industry in the state’s 2025–26 fiscal year budget: “Florida’s citrus growers applaud the Florida Legislature’s record-breaking investment of nearly $140 million to shepherd the state’s iconic citrus industry back to …
