The U.S. Supreme Court has handed Bayer-owned Monsanto a major legal victory in a decision that could reshape future pesticide litigation in the United States. In a 7-2 ruling, the court found that federal law prevents states from allowing failure-to-warn lawsuits against pesticide manufacturers when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved a product’s label without requiring additional warnings. …
Proposed Act to Improve H-2A Program
U.S. Rep. Glenn Thompson of Pennsylvania, chair of the House Agriculture Committee, introduced the Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act of 2026. The act is meant to improve the accessibility and cost of agricultural labor through the H-2A visa program. The legislation is supported by more than 400 agricultural groups. The H-2A program allows foreign workers to perform temporary agricultural jobs in …
Vitamin C Linked to Better Brain Health in Older Adults
A new study published in the journal PLOS One suggests that higher vitamin C levels in the blood are associated with healthier brain structure and stronger brain network connectivity in older adults. The research provides another reminder of the potential value of vitamin C-rich foods, including citrus fruits and juices. The study — “Plasma Vitamin C Levels Are Associated With …
Combining PGRs and OTC Is Beneficial
The June All In For Citrus podcast features Tripti Vashisth, associate center director and professor of horticultural sciences at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center. She discusses the benefits of combining plant growth regulators (PGRs) with trunk injection of oxytetracycline (OTC). For most Florida citrus growers, application of OTC has …
Evolution Fresh Secures OJ Supply
Evolution Fresh, a leader in the U.S. cold-pressed orange juice (OJ) market, announced it has secured its OJ supply chain for the next 18 months from California and Northern Mexico. The supply commitments ensure an uninterrupted supply of cold-pressed OJ for grocery retailers, quick-serve restaurants and institutional foodservice customers. “We have committed to pull over 60 million Valencia oranges from …
Trump Asks Congress for Additional $11 Billion in Farm Aid
President Donald Trump is asking Congress to approve more than $11 billion in additional agricultural assistance, including $10 billion in economic aid for producers across the country and another $1.1 billion specifically for Florida farmers recovering from devastating winter storms and freezes. The request is part of a larger supplemental funding package now before Congress. Florida Farm Bureau Federation President …
Scientists Speak About Long-Term HLB Solutions
The recent Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference featured seminars from several scientists who are working on solutions to fight huanglongbing (HLB) disease. GENETIC RESEARCH Vivian Irish of Yale University presented her research on combating HLB through gene editing. She noted several promising gene-editing targets have been identified. Plans call for getting these lines planted to evaluate their resistance to HLB. …
Compost, Rootstocks and HLB
Compost-amended plots (left) had more weeds than those with no compost. A new study published in Scientific Reports examines whether repeated compost applications could improve the health and productivity of young citrus trees growing under endemic huanglongbing (HLB) conditions in Florida. Gabriel Pugina, Caroline Tardivo, Brittney Monus, Emma Dawson, Sarah Strauss and Ute Albrecht of the University of Florida Institute …
PIECES OF THE PAST: Rooted in the Indian River
By Brenda Eubanks Burnette Victor Knight was born June 5, 1929, into a family already rooted deep in the Indian River citrus industry. Friends would later say he was “born with his feet in the grove,” and for nearly eight decades he proved it. His family worked groves and cattle near Winter Beach. Knight was the sixth of seven children …
Produce Pros Under 40 Years of Age Honored
This year’s winners of the Produce Business 40 Under Forty awards include several young professionals with ties to the citrus industry. Michelle Alo, 38, is vice president of marketing at Kings River Packing, LP in California. She joined the company as director of marketing in 2022 and was promoted to her current position in 2024. She has been part of …
Drought Impacting Irrigation Needs
The next harvest season may still be months away for Florida citrus growers, but management remains a weekly duty. That involves a plethora of chores for grove owners this summer, says Matt Smith, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension agent for Lake and Orange counties. “Growers definitely need to keep irrigation in mind. And of course, …
Irrigation Maintenance Is Essential
Microjet irrigation is the top method of freeze protection for citrus trees, but its effectiveness is only realized if growers perform proper maintenance of the sprinklers before a cold event occurs. Mary Sutton, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and citrus Extension specialist, emphasized that fact during the Georgia-Florida Irrigation Expo on June 10. Sutton said growers should treat their …
Brazilian Orange Tree Inventory Released
Brazil’s Fundecitrus recently released the orange tree inventory of the São Paulo and west-southwest Minas Gerais Citrus Belt. Fundecitrus conducted the inventory in March. Orange orchards occupy 410,974 hectares, an increase of 1.4% from the previous year. Out of this total, the main orange varieties account for 400,260 hectares. The remaining varieties, primarily destined for the fresh fruit market, occupy …
Spanish Lemon Production on the Decline
Spanish production of lemons for 2025–26 is projected at 828,000 tons, a decrease of 9.6% from the 915,000 tons of the previous season. That comes on top of a production decline registered in 2024–25, when the crop was 20% lower than in 2023–24. The fall in production is not explained by a significant reduction in area. The 47,996 hectares in …
ReMedium TI Receives Full Section 3 Label
TJ BioTech LLC has announced that, as of June 11, 2026, ReMedium TI has received a full Section 3 label and registration from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, along with state approval from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The approved label allows for two consecutive years of treatment, starting with the 2026–27 season, followed by a one-year …
Reducing Trunk Injury From OTC Injections
By Ute Albrecht, Larissa Nunes and Igor Silva Trunk injection of oxytetracycline (OTC) requires drilling a hole into the trunk and injecting a foreign substance into the tree. Not only does the physical damage from drilling cause injury, but the application of chemicals can exacerbate both the external and internal damage. BARK CRACKING Externally, aside from the drill hole, bark …
Top Fungal Threats Behind Preharvest Fruit Rot
A new study has identified several fungal pathogens associated with preharvest sweet orange fruit spoilage. It provides insights that could help citrus growers better understand and manage fruit rot problems in the grove. The research, “Morphological Identification of Fungi Associated with Preharvest Spoilage of Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis L.) Fruit in Bilo Nopha, Southwestern Ethiopia,” was published in the journal …
Ag Groups Ask for Fair and Balanced Trade
A coalition of fresh fruit and vegetable organizations from California, Florida, Georgia, Michigan and Texas on June 2 asked U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer for a managed approach to import volumes. Their letter to Greer sought that managed approach “particularly during the domestic marketing seasons when the timing of foreign competition is itself the injury.” Citrus-specific associations signing the letter …
How HLB Research Has Evolved
Huanglongbing (HLB, or citrus greening) disease has been the focus of an enormous amount of scientific research over the past two decades. A new study — “Bibliometric Mapping of Citrus Greening Disease Reflecting Trends, Shifts and Focus Areas” — takes a unique look at that research. It analyzes thousands of scientific publications to identify where scientists have concentrated their efforts …
Drop in Global Lemon Supply
A recent review of the 2025–26 global lemon market reported a drop in supply, highlighted by Türkiye’s production collapse. Economists Pablo Resco Sánchez and Pablo Santiago Izu Pérez of Platform Land conducted the review. According to the review, the U.S. Department of Agriculture forecast for the 2025–26 season put global lemon production at around 10.1 million tons. That’s a 6.6% …




















