fungus

USDA Grant To Attack Citrus Greening

expoadminCitrus, Citrus Greening

Researchers share $4 million USDA grant to attack citrus greening From UF/IFAS: By: Kimberly Moore Wilmoth and Kathleen Haughney GAINESVILLE, Fla. — International researchers, including ones at the University of Florida and Florida State University, are sharing in a $4 million grant from the United States Department of Agriculture to attack the problem of citrus greening, a disease that has …

Wedgworth

Wedgworth Leadership Institute Graduates Its 12th Class

Daniel CooperEducation, Florida

Twenty-nine Florida agribusiness leaders graduated from Class XII of the esteemed Wedgworth Leadership Institute for Agriculture and Natural Resources. The Institute is run by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) and has been developing leaders in Florida since 1991. This milestone marks the successful completion of a rigorous two-year leadership development program designed to prepare …

environmental

Nominate Ag Women and Environmental Leaders

Daniel CooperAwards

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) has announced the opening of the nomination process for the Woman of the Year in Agriculture and the Agricultural-Environmental Leadership awards. Nominations for both awards must be submitted by March 1. “Florida agriculture thrives because of the extraordinary people who dedicate their lives to it,” said Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson. …

HLB

Fall Tree Health After Initial Trunk-Injection Treatments

Daniel CooperHLB Management

By Frank Giles and Maegan Beatty As growers deployed their first application of oxytetracycline (OTC) via trunk-injection this summer, expectations were high but tempered by the fact the therapy is not expected to turn the massive HLB ship around in just one season. By this fall, after the seasonal cooldown, growers were still reporting generally positive signs from the treatments. …

New Class for Wedgworth Leadership Institute

Josh McGillEducation

The Wedgworth Leadership Institute for Agriculture and Natural Resources (WLI) recently selected 30 participants for Class XII of its two-year leadership development program. The program’s first seminar will take place in Gainesville in November. Participants have committed to 11 seminars, totaling 55 days, which further develop their leadership capacity in representing agricultural and natural resources industries. Seminars will be held …

Sallins Receive John T. Lesley Award

Josh McGillAwards

Florida Citrus Packers recently presented IMG Citrus founders Michel and Veronique Sallin with the organization’s highest recognition, the John T. Lesley Award. The presentation was made at the fresh fruit industry’s annual Citrus Packinghouse Day. The award is for individuals making sustained and outstanding contributions to Florida’s fresh citrus industry. IMG Citrus operates more than 11,000 acres of citrus groves …

Greasy Green Research Approved

Josh McGillCRDF, Diseases, Research

Due to the initiative of the Indian River Citrus League (IRCL), the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) has approved research funding for the greasy green defect on citrus fruit. At a 2021 IRCL board meeting, the issue of greasy green spot was brought up by Tim Sallin of IMG Citrus. Other growers at that meeting also shared their experience …

Tradition Meets Innovation

Tacy CalliesProfile

A new generation of leadership at IMG Citrus takes the helm. After serving as chief executive officer of IMG Enterprises for 42 years, Michel Sallin is passing the torch to his three children. Siblings Melanie Ressler, Timothee Sallin and Chloe Gentry have been appointed as co-CEOs of IMG Citrus and Cherrylake. The businesses are both subsidiaries of IMG Enterprises, a …

labor

Migrant Housing Project Rejected

Ashley RobinsonLabor

In a 3-2 vote, the St. Lucie County Commission on May 4 denied a proposal by Happy Foods LLC for a conditional use to construct housing for up to 96 migrant citrus grove laborers. Happy Foods LLC, a subsidiary of IMG Citrus, proposed four 2,930-square-foot dormitory-style buildings on 7.7 acres on Orange Avenue in Fort Pierce. It would have been …

Sallin Named Woman of the Year in Ag

Ernie NeffAwards

Veronique Sallin has been named the 2020 Woman of the Year in Agriculture, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) announced. The recognition is for women who have made exceptional contributions to Florida agriculture. Honorees come from throughout the agriculture community. “Ms. Sallin’s unique leadership, passion and commitment continue to influence and broaden markets …

labor

Harvesting Labor a Concern

Ernie NeffLabor

Harvesting labor availability has reportedly been adequate so far this season for the Florida citrus industry. However, it could become an issue as some foreign workers under the federal H-2A program leave to work in other industries or to harvest other crops. Several Florida citrus growers and association executives recently addressed the labor situation. “As our season winds down, it …

varieties

Grower Likes UF Mandarin Varieties

Ernie NeffVarieties

Dozens of Florida citrus growers and other industry members sampled new University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) citrus varieties Nov. 14. The samplers tasted many pieces of fruit as well as some juice from new fruit at the Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) in Lake Alfred. Those participating in the sampling carried clipboards with lists …

reintroducing

Reintroducing White Grapefruit to the U.S. Market

Daniel CooperGrapefruit, Industry News Release

(IMG) — IMG Citrus, a family-owned, vertically integrated citrus grower, packer and shipper in Vero Beach, Florida, is reintroducing white grapefruit to the U.S. market. Most white grapefruit is exported directly from the United States to its primary market in Japan, where it maintains consistently high popularity. However, IMG Citrus will be expanding its white grapefruit consumer base to the …

director

Texas A&M Research Center Director Named

Daniel CooperEducation, Research, Texas

Kranthi Mandadi will become director of the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Weslaco on June 1. Mandadi is a Texas A&M AgriLife Research plant pathologist and professor in the Texas A&M Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology. He has served at the center for more than a decade. Mandadi will oversee the administration of the center and …

fungicide

EPA Seeks Comments on Fungicide Strategy

Daniel CooperDiseases, Regulation

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its draft Fungicide Strategy and is inviting the public to weigh in. The draft strategy identifies practical, science-based protections that fungicide users can adopt to safeguard more than 1,000 federally endangered and threatened species. The strategy also aims to preserve the flexibility that states, growers and applicators need. EPA is opening this draft …

Brazil’s

Brazil’s 2026–27 Orange Forecast Issued

Daniel CooperBrazil, Crop Forecast

Brazil’s Fundecitrus on May 8 forecast 2026–27 orange crop production for the Citrus Belt of São Paulo and the Triângulo/Southwest Minas Gerais region at 255.2 million 40.8-kilogram boxes. That’s a 12.9% reduction from the previous crop of 292.94 million boxes and a 14.7% decline relative to the average of the last decade. REASONS FOR LESS ORANGES The projection for lower …

block grant

Florida Block Grant Disaster Relief Questions Answered

Daniel Cooperfinancial, Florida Citrus Mutual, hurricane

Florida Citrus Mutual (FCM) recently compiled a question-and-answer (Q&A) document about the 2026 Florida Block Grant Disaster Relief program. The document has answers from grant administrators to citrus grower questions. It covers eligibility, production loss thresholds, base-year considerations and more. Some key points from the document include: See the full Q&A document here. Source: FCM Sponsored ContentMake a Plan to …

Scab

California Sweet Orange Scab Quarantine Expanded

Daniel CooperCalifornia Corner, Diseases, Regulation

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) in cooperation with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) have expanded the area quarantined for sweet orange scab (SOS). The expansion is in the Irvine area of Orange County and in the La Puente area of Los Angeles County in California. QUARANTINE ACTIONS APHIS is expanding …

CRAFT

Updates and Reminders for CRAFT Participants

Daniel CooperCRAFT

Steven Hall, executive director of the Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) Foundation, recently shared important information on the Emerging Varieties Program, freeze-damaged projects and annual audits. EMERGING VARIETIES PROGRAM Following the recent Environmental Protection Agency approval of the CarriCea T1 rootstock, CRAFT has established May 15 as the new deadline for the submission of proof of payment of royalties …