Citrus grower, importer and packer IMG Citrus, headquartered in Vero Beach, announced that its new flagship facility, Sweet Sixty, is fully operational. In 2022, IMG acquired the newly built 185,000-square-foot cold storage and packing facility formerly owned by J&J Fresh Produce. Sweet Sixty was always intended to be more than just additional square footage. It was part of a long-term …
IMG Citrus Moving Forward With More CUPS
A Nov. 22 Lake County farm tour, hosted by University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension, included a visit to the 13-acre citrus under protective screen (CUPS) site owned by IMG Citrus. Located in Groveland, the facility consists of Ruby Red grapefruit on Swingle rootstock planted in May 2022. Clint Updike, IMG citrus production manager, told farm …
IMG Citrus Acquires Facility and Farmland
IMG Citrus, based in Vero Beach, Florida, has acquired J&J Fresh Produce assets. These assets, also located in Vero Beach, include a new 185,000-square-foot cold storage and packaging facility and 1,000 acres of farmland in the Delta Farms Water Control District. “This is an exciting acquisition and a key component of our growth strategy,” said Melanie Ressler, co-chief executive officer …
IMG Citrus Launches YELLOS Grapefruit
IMG Citrus announced the launch of the YELLOS Florida grapefruit brand and specialty product. “Although considered a new product on the U.S. market, the YELLOS grapefruit variety is in fact Florida’s original, heirloom grapefruit and the white-fleshed counterpart of the well-known Florida Ruby Red grapefruit,” the company stated. According to a press release, YELLOS are harvested from mature groves more …
IMG Citrus Buys 2,500-Acre Grove
IMG Citrus, a citrus grower, packer and shipper in Vero Beach, Florida, recently bought a 2,500-acre grove in Charlotte County. The grove increases the company’s control of citrus land management in Florida by 27%; it now has 11,387 acres. The property was acquired from the Packers of Indian River. The grove was originally planted in the 1990s and known as …
IMG Citrus Celebrates 40 Years in Business
IMG Citrus, a family-owned, vertically integrated citrus grower, packer and shipper in Vero Beach, Florida, is celebrating 40 years in business. The business began in 1979 when Michel Sallin, IMG Citrus president, traveled to Florida seeking investment opportunities in agriculture. Sallin and his wife Veronique’s first investment, 72 acres of Hamlin orange groves in Manatee County, would become the beginning …
Sales Leadership Changes at IMG Citrus
IMG Citrus, a family-owned, vertically-integrated citrus grower, packer, importer and shipper in Vero Beach, Florida, announced the upcoming retirement of Vice President, Veronique Sallin, after 40 years with the company. Sallin’s retirement will officially begin at the end of the 2019-2020 Florida citrus season. The company further announces the promotion of Sydney Allison to the role of director of sales. …
IMG Citrus Invests in Packinghouse
IMG Citrus, a family-owned, vertically integrated citrus grower, packer and shipper in Vero Beach, Florida, has invested $1.5 million into its packinghouse processing line. The company added a state-of-the-art electronic fruit grader, the Global Scan 7, manufactured in France. The new sorter has the ability to precisely capture 120 images per fruit and up to 120 fruit per second in …
Haffield Reprises Role at IMG Citrus
IMG Citrus, a family-owned, vertically-integrated citrus grower, packer and shipper in Vero Beach, Florida, renamed Todd Haffield as director of packinghouse operations. He previously held this role with the company from 2010 to 2017. Haffield has been with IMG Citrus since 1999 in various logistics and sales roles in addition to his director position. He contributed to many operational improvements, …
IMG Citrus Adds 4,000-Acre Grove to Portfolio
The future of Florida citrus is bright. IMG Citrus, a family-owned, vertically-integrated citrus grower, packer and shipper in Vero Beach, Florida, announced the acquisition of one of the largest grapefruit groves in St. Lucie County. The 4,000-acre grove increases IMG’s control of citrus land management in Florida by over 75 percent, securing the company’s position as an established citrus leader …
Pomelos From Vietnam Concern Citrus Australia
Citrus Australia has called on Australia’s minister for agriculture and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry to pause the market access application for pomelo from Vietnam. It cited biosecurity risks that require further scientific assessment. Citrus Australia Chief Executive Officer Nathan Hancock said Australia’s citrus industry strongly supports mutually beneficial trade and recognizes the importance of open, rules-based market …
Korean Citrus Byproducts Going to the Dogs
Korean manufacturer Suchang recently announced it has successfully developed a new dog food product using gamgyul-bak — byproducts from the Korean citrus processing industry. Tentatively branded Orange Dogs, the product is designed for global markets, with export plans targeting the United States, Japan, China and Europe. The key ingredient of Orange Dog, gamgyul-bak, refers to the peel and residual materials …
Finding Opportunities for Native Australian Citrus
Growing global production of citrus offers opportunities for Australia’s little-known six native species, according to a University of Queensland researcher. Doctoral candidate Joel Johnson at the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI) is investigating the chemical composition and nutritional potential of those indigenous citrus species. They are: C. australasica (Australian finger lime), C. australis (round lime), C. garrawayi …
Citrus Greening Seminar Featured International Experts
Fundecitrus recently held an international seminar dedicated to citrus greening. The event had approximately 150 participants and featured experts from China and Brazil. GENOME EDITING Xuefeng Wang, from China’s Southwest University’s Citrus Research Institute, highlighted his interest in building a solid partnership in the area of genome editing. He said his group has already identified promising genes that can contribute …
Citrus Extension Agents Encourage Growers to Engage With Their Services
Florida citrus Extension agents are a conduit to growers, connecting them with the educational and support resources of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). Recently, two of those agents held stakeholder meetings to seek input from growers on areas where they would like to see more education and assistance from UF/IFAS. Alissa Hevesh is the …
Northern Hemisphere Citrus Forecast Released
The World Citrus Organisation (WCO) has released its annual Northern Hemisphere citrus forecast for the 2025–26 season. The preliminary forecast is based on data from industry associations from the Mediterranean region and the United States. Citrus production for 2025–26 in the Northern Hemisphere is expected to decrease by 1.51% from the 2024–25 season, with a total of 27.397 million tons. …
Anti-Inflammatory Potential of Citrus Unlocked
Scientists at The University of Alabama (UA) have developed a bio-engineered molecule that uses a natural citrus compound to both target and treat inflammation. Naringenin, a flavonoid found in citrus fruit, has long been recognized for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. However, the human body does a poor job of absorbing the compound in the form of food or currently …
USDA to Purchase $30 Million of Fresh Citrus
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Nov. 24 announced its intent to purchase up to $30 million in fresh citrus from American farmers. Under Section 32 of the Agriculture Act of 1935, the USDA has the authority to purchase commodities from American farmers and producers and distribute the products to food banks and nutrition assistance programs across the country. “These …
All In For Citrus Podcast, November 2025
The November All In For Citrus podcast takes a trip around the globe. Faculty from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) join the show to describe citrus production in regions outside of the United States. Michael Rogers, director of the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center, gives an update on citrus in the Caribbean and …
Sneak Peek: December 2025 Citrus Industry
As the end of the year approaches, now is a good time to look back at what has been learned about huanglongbing (HLB) disease over the last 20 years. In the Citrus Industry section of the December issue of Specialty Crop Grower, Michael Rogers, Citrus Research and Education Center director, provides a comprehensive review of the progress made in fighting …





























