florida

Florida Citrus Land Sales Summary for 2017

Ernie Neffsales

Coldwell Banker Commercial Saunders Real Estate (CBCSRE) reported 146 verified citrus grove sales in Florida in 2017. The sales were listed, without seller or buyer names, in CBCSRE’s annual Lay of the Land Market Report distributed at the April 5-6 Land Conference at ChampionsGate near Orlando. The company reported that 109 of the sold groves stayed in citrus and 37 …

Miss Florida Citrus and Miss Winter Haven Crowned

Tacy CalliesIndustry News Release

St. Patrick’s Day was lucky for two young women — Megan Price, of LaBelle, who was crowned the new 2018 Miss Florida Citrus and Morgan Boykin, of Thonotosassa, the new Miss Winter Haven. Both ladies were crowned at Theatre Winter Haven on March 17, 2018. Hosted by David Lang, of Regalia Magnificent Apparel, the Miss America preliminary pageant contestants were judged …

State of the Florida Citrus-Packing Segment

Tacy CalliesCitrus

By Peter Chaires Florida’s fresh-packing segment is in a significant period of transition. The freezes of the 1980s caused substantial southward movement of citrus production and the loss of supply to most packinghouses in the northern regions. During this time, urban expansion and construction booms were also depleting acreage that supplied fresh houses. The early battles against citrus canker eliminated …

citrus rootstock

Annual Meeting of the Florida State Horticultural Society

Daniel CooperIndustry News Release

The Florida State Horticultural Society (FSHS) announces that it will hold its 131st annual meeting on June 10 through June 12, 2018, at the Renaissance Fort Lauderdale Cruise Port Hotel located at 1617 SE 17th Street in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. With over 100 technical presentations and special sessions with invited speakers, there will also be a welcome reception, Extension luncheon, …

Florida orange

Florida Specialty Citrus Up; California Valencias Down

Daniel CooperCrop Forecast

Mark Hudson of the U.S. Department of Agriculture/National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA/NASS), reported the March forecast for Florida oranges is unchanged from last month at 45 million boxes. Non-Valencias are at 19 million boxes and Valencias are at 26 million boxes. The Row Count Survey, conducted on Feb. 26-27, showed 99 percent of the early-midseason rows and 96 percent of …

University of Florida Hosts Citrus Photography Contest

Tacy CalliesIndustry News Release

In an effort to showcase the region’s citrus industry heritage, a local University of Florida (UF) research professor is hosting a digital photography contest. Rhuanito “Johnny” Ferrarezi is an assistant professor at UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC) near Fort Pierce. Ferrarezi leads the center’s citrus horticulture research program, including the …

University of Florida Helps Guide Georgia Citrus Association

Abbey TaylorResearch

University of Florida researchers assisted their neighbor to the north as they put together several presentations to help build the Georgia citrus industry. The presentations were made during the second annual Georgia Citrus Association Conference, which was held Feb. 26 at the University of Georgia Tifton Conference Center. Lindy Savelle, president of the Georgia Citrus Association, says she is very …

orange juice

Help for Florida Farmers Advancing in Senate

Daniel CooperCitrus, hurricane, Industry News Release

Farmers and other parts of Florida’s agriculture industry could receive about $75 million in post-Hurricane Irma assistance from the state next year under a measure moving forward in the Senate. The Senate Finance and Tax Appropriations Subcommittee on Tuesday unanimously backed the proposal (SB 1608) by Senate Agriculture Chairwoman Denise Grimsley, R-Sebring. The proposal, in part, would reduce property assessments …

crop insurance

Vast Majority of Florida Citrus Is Insured

Ernie Neffcrop insurance

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences economist Ariel Singerman provided growers attending a recent OJ Break in Lake Alfred with basic information about federal crop and tree insurance. Early in his presentation, he noted that most citrus crops and trees in Florida are covered by crop and tree insurance at some level. He summarizes his presentation. “The …

citrus crop

Putnam on Disaster Funding for Florida Agriculture

Daniel CooperCitrus, hurricane, Industry News Release

Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam issued the following statement after the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives passed a spending bill that includes more than $2.3 billion for agricultural assistance: “The passage of this spending bill is a critical first step to finally getting Florida’s farmers, ranchers and growers long-awaited and desperately needed relief. Without this emergency assistance, …

florida

Florida Orange Crop Forecast Falls Again

Daniel CooperCrop Forecast

The 2017–2018 Florida all-orange forecast released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is 45 million boxes, down 1 million boxes from the January forecast. If realized, this will be 35 percent less than last season’s production. The forecast for non-Valencia orange production is unchanged at 19 million boxes. Size and drop components were final last month. The forecast for Valencia …

orange crop

Call Now for Florida Agriculture Relief Legislation

Tacy CalliesLegislative

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 …

Freeze Summary for Florida and Georgia Citrus

Ernie Nefffreeze

Temperatures dipped into the 20s in much of the Florida Citrus Belt on the morning of Jan. 18, but the state’s largest citrus growers association expected little, if any, freeze damage. Florida Citrus Mutual spokesman Andrew Meadows said there could be minor or moderate fruit loss in some low-lying pockets, “but absolutely no tree damage.” The coldest Florida citrus region …

freeze

Florida Citrus Mutual Sets Goals for 2018 Legislative Session

Abbey TaylorLegislative

The Florida legislative session began Jan. 9 in Tallahassee. Florida Citrus Mutual (FCM) has several goals for the 2018 session to aid an industry already dealing with devastating challenges. Andrew Meadows, FCM’s director of communications, says a big item on FCM’s radar is Hurricane Irma. The industry is continuing to suffer from the storm that occurred in September 2017. So, …

Register for the 2018 Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame Banquet

Abbey TaylorCitrus

The Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame Banquet will take place Feb. 13 in Tampa. This event will honor the 2018 inductees to the hall of fame. Four agricultural leaders have been chosen to enter the hall of fame this year. They are Alfonso Fanjul, J. Pepe Fanjul, Lowell Loadholtz and Harold K. Mikell. These four men have dedicated their lives …

florida

Imported Citrus Numbers Continue to Grow in Florida

Daniel CooperCitrus, Industry News Release

An increase in imported orange juice is anticipated by the Florida Citrus Commission to offset a decline in tax revenue from the state’s hurricane-battered growers, who await congressional action on disaster relief. The commission — during a brief conference call Wednesday — agreed to shift $556,147 from reserves to help cover the Department of Citrus’ budget for the current fiscal …

zinc

Florida Citrus Crop Forecast: Oranges Down; Grapefruit Holds Steady

Daniel CooperCrop Forecast

As of Dec. 12, the 2017-2018 Florida all-orange forecast released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture is 46 million boxes. This figure is down 8 percent from the November forecast. If realized, this forecast will be 33 percent less than last season’s production and the least since the 1944-1945 season of 42.2 million boxes. The forecast consists of 19 million …

florida citrus

Florida Citrus Hall of Fame Inductees Chosen for 2018

Daniel CooperCitrus, Industry News Release

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 …

rubio

Call to Action for Florida Citrus Industry Members

Tacy CalliesLegislative

On December 5, Mike Sparks, Florida Citrus Mutual executive vice president and CEO, sent the following message to the Florida citrus industry: Since Hurricane Irma devastated Florida citrus in September, Commissioner Adam Putnam, Governor Rick Scott, Florida Congressional/Senate leaders, Florida Citrus Mutual, Florida citrus growers and the industry have been working tirelessly in Washington, D.C. to obtain a federal relief/rebuild …

Citrus Expo

HLB Research Beyond CRDF: Florida’s Goal Achieved

Tacy CalliesNews from our Sponsor

By Harold Browning Column sponsored by the Citrus Research and Development Foundation As 2017 draws to a close, the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) is working to redefine the primary directions for its research and delivery programs. Federal funding programs that have emerged over the past four years are covering much of the discovery and knowledge-building research, and is …