costs

High Costs Prohibit AI Adoption in Agriculture

Daniel CooperTechnology

Adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in agriculture is not a foregone conclusion. Despite the technology’s perceived effectiveness in making crop production more efficient, the associated costs are still too high for farmers. “Right now, a lot of these technologies come with huge price tags for just the cost of purchasing the equipment,” said Lynn Sosnoskie, assistant professor with Cornell University. …

rock dust

Could Volcanic Rock Dust Improve Florida Crops and Soil?

Daniel CooperFlorida, Research, Soil Health

Florida’s soils present unique challenges for growers. The soils vary widely from nutrient-poor sandy to highly organic soils, depending on location. These conditions make it difficult to sustainably manage agriculture in a way that supports food production, environmental health and a strong economy.   To address these challenges, University of Florida (UF) researchers are leading a four-year study supported by a $749,999 …

USDA

Hurricane Preparation and Resources From USDA

Daniel Cooperhurricane, USDA

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently suggested preparations growers can make for hurricane season, which starts June 1. It also provided information about recovery resources. PREPARATIONS RECOVERY ASSISTANCE USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Risk Management Agency (RMA) offer a number of options to offset losses and help get you back on your feet. Contact your local USDA Service Center to …

welcome centers

OJ to Keep Flowing at Florida Welcome Centers

Daniel CooperFlorida Department of Citrus, Marketing

The Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) on May 20 approved a $250,000 contract with Visit Florida to continue providing free orange juice at Florida welcome centers on interstate highways. The FCC serves as the governing board for the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC), which performs marketing, research and regulatory functions for the state’s citrus industry. Visit Florida, the state’s official destination …

topping

Edge Topping in Brazil: Opportunity and Caution

Daniel CooperBrazil, HLB Management, Pruning

Topping — pruning the tops of trees — along orchard edges has been studied as a potential strategy for managing citrus greening disease. This technique aims to stimulate new shoot growth on trees along the orchard perimeter to attract the psyllid — the insect vector responsible for transmitting the disease. Chemical control efforts can then be concentrated in those specific …

plant defense inducers

Plant Defense Inducers Could Help Reduce Copper Use for Canker Control

Daniel CooperDiseases, Tip of the Week

By Lauren Fessler Mathews, Ana Redondo and Ozgur Batuman Citrus canker continues to impact Florida citrus, increasing premature fruit drop and decreasing yield and fruit quality. While copper sprays have long been relied upon to control this disease, concerns about environmental impact and possible resistance development have led to efforts to find sustainable alternatives. Previous studies have shown that plant …

village

PIECES OF THE PAST: It Takes a Village

Daniel CooperAwards, Pieces of the Past

By Brenda Eubanks Burnette Editor’s note: This month’s Pieces of the Past is the author’s acceptance speech after being inducted into the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame on March 27. Congratulations, Brenda! Forty-five years ago, I had no idea that entering the Florida Citrus Queen contest would change the entire course of my life. I simply needed scholarship money for …

noaa

NOAA Makes Atlantic Hurricane Season Prediction

Daniel Cooperhurricane

Forecasters with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Weather Service on May 21 predicted a below-normal 2026 Atlantic hurricane season. Its outlook is for a 35% chance of a near-normal season, a 10% chance of an above-normal season and a 55% chance of a below-normal season. The hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30. The agency …

soil microbiome

Impact of Organic vs. Conventional Farming on the Soil Microbiome

Daniel CooperInternational, Organic, soil

An international group of authors recently reported on a study to investigate the impact of organic farming on the soil microbiome in citrus orchards. The authors are: The soil microbiota of eight conventionally and seven organically managed commercial citrus orchards across eastern Sicily were evaluated. FINDINGS The structure (diversity and relative abundance) and functionality of soil bacterial and fungal communities …

political party

Survey Says Farmers Economically Strained and Trust Neither Political Party

Daniel CooperAgriculture, Survey

A recent poll commissioned by Amato Advisors and conducted by Farm Journal finds that many American farmers are in deep economic strain and trust neither political party to help them. The Farmer & Rancher Policy Sentiment Survey, fielded in April 2026, surveyed 974 farmers and ranchers across 44 states. Key findings include: ​“This is one of the most striking pieces …

climate warming

Ag Pests and Climate Warming

Daniel CooperPests, Weather

A team of nine researchers led by University of California Davis (UC Davis) entomologist Mia Lippey recently published a paper on climate warming and the effect on agricultural pests. Their work, Field Data Challenge Predictions of Universal Crop Pest Proliferation Under Warming, appeared in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. It contradicts experiments indicating that arthropod crop pest densities will …

program

Building a Resilient Insecticide Spray Program

Daniel CooperPests, Psyllids

By Lukasz Stelinski For many Florida citrus growers, pest management has become closely tied to Asian citrus psyllid control. That is understandable. The psyllid vectors the bacterium associated with citrus greening, and long-term disease pressure has pushed many operations toward frequent insecticide use. But frequent spraying comes at a cost. The more often the same chemistry is used, the faster …

water-shortage

Water-Shortage Orders Issued in Florida

Daniel CooperRegulation, Water

As the drought deepens across Florida, water management districts are issuing tighter watering rules. Water-shortage orders may be issued when temporary reductions in surface and ground water uses are necessary to protect water resources from serious harm. As of May 15, the state’s water management districts were operating under the following conditions: A May 14 U.S. Drought Monitor map of …

heat

Weed Management Still Mandatory When the Heat Is On

Daniel CooperTip of the Week, weeds

By Ramdas Kanissery When the summer heat rolls in and the rain gets spotty, growers tend to shift their focus to irrigation, nutrition and HLB management. Weed control often gets pushed to the back burner. But here’s the thing: Heat and dry spells do not stop weeds. They change them, and those changes can make your weed management program a …

PULAs

PULAs Are Upon Us

Daniel CooperEvents, Pesticides, Regulation

Have you heard of the term PULA yet? If not and you apply pesticides on your farm, now is the time to get up to speed on pesticide use limitation areas (PULAs). This topic was covered during the Florida Citrus Growers’ Institute, held at South Florida College in Avon Park in April. Matt Smith, University of Florida Institute of Food …

Frank Hunt

Frank Hunt Honored for Service to NVDMC

Daniel CooperAwards

The New Varieties Development & Management Corp. (NVDMC) supports new variety development research to provide Florida citrus growers with unique, high-value varieties for the fresh and processed markets. The organization was established in 2005 just as HLB was confirmed in the state, making its mission even more important. A name that has been synonymous with NVDMC is Frank Hunt of …

scale

California Red Scale Advisory Issued

Daniel CooperCalifornia Corner, Pests

Sandipa Gautam, University of California area citrus integrated pest management (IPM) advisor, issued an Extension advisory for California red scale (CRS). The scale is a key pest of citrus in the San Joaquin Valley. Key points of the advisory are as follows: CRAWLERS ARE ACTIVE The CRS life cycle starts as crawlers produced by overwintering females from the past season. …

Agricultural-Environmental

Agricultural-Environmental Leadership Award Recipient Named

Daniel CooperAwards

Ernie Barnett, executive director of the Florida Land Council, has been named the 2026 recipient of the Agricultural-Environmental Leadership Award. The award has been presented annually since 1994 to environmentally innovative growers, ranchers and others committed to protecting and preserving Florida’s resources. “Ernie Barnett has spent more than 35 years in the trenches working on Florida’s toughest land and water issues,” …

month

It’s Orange Juice Month in Highlands County

Daniel CooperFlorida, Orange Juice

The Highlands County Board of County Commissioners has proclaimed the month of May to be Florida Orange Juice Month in Highlands County, Florida. The proclamation declared that: The proclamation encouraged all Highlands County residents and Floridians to take a Florida orange juice break and reflect on the wide range of positive impacts that this long-standing industry has had on 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 …