waters

Proposed Waters of the U.S. Rule to Provide Clarity

Daniel CooperAgriculture, Regulation, Water

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of the Army have announced a proposed rule that would define waters of the United States (WOTUS) under the Clean Water Act. EPA stated that the rule would protect America’s waters while providing the regulatory certainty needed to support farmers. According to EPA, the rule, when finalized, will cut red tape and …

Imperial County

First Psyllid in Imperial County Tests Positive for HLB Bacteria

Daniel CooperCalifornia Corner, Psyllids

An adult Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) sample collected from a rural residential property in Imperial County has tested positive for Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), the bacteria that causes huanglongbing (HLB). The ACP sample was collected from a citrus tree on Oct. 30 and was confirmed positive for CLas on Nov. 13. This is the first confirmed CLas-positive adult ACP found …

acclimation

Understanding Acclimation and Protecting Trees From Freeze

Daniel Cooperfreeze, Tip of the Week, Weather

By Davie Kadyampakeni, Chris Oswalt and Muhammad A. Shahid With the onset of cooler temperatures, citrus trees cease active growth and become quiescent. This continued quiescence at lower temperatures results in a subsequent increase in cold hardiness, known as acclimation. Citrus trees proceed through many changes during acclimation, including: The above factors combine to increase the ability of citrus tissues …

usda

USDA Amends Brix Standards to Align With FDA

Daniel CooperOrange Juice, Regulation

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service (USDA AMS) is amending the U.S. Standards for grades of orange juice (OJ) by changing the limits for Grade B Brix allowances in pasteurized OJ (POJ). The change will align with the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Standard of Identity (SOI) for POJ. The Brix allowances under the U.S. OJ standards are …

CRDF

CRDF Considers Research Management Committee Recommendations

Daniel CooperCRDF, Research

The Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) convened its November board of directors meeting to take up recommendations from its Research Management Committee. According to Rick Dantzler, CRDF chief operating officer, one of those recommendations was funding a proposal from Swadesh Santra, who is a professor of chemistry with the University of Central Florida. “This funding would allow Dr. Santra …

water-shortage

Adequate Soil Moisture Is Key to Avoiding Fruit Drop

Daniel CooperFruit Drop, Irrigation, Weather

A lack of adequate soil moisture could make an already challenging situation for Florida citrus growers worse. It is imperative that producers keep applying irrigation amid any prolonged dry period, says Chris Oswalt, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) citrus agent. Oswalt noted that many citrus-producing regions in Florida have had little, if any, rain in …

Farmers’ Almanac

Farmers’ Almanac Folds

Daniel CooperAgriculture

The Farmers’ Almanac announced it has published its last issue, ending a 208-year run. “It is with a heavy heart that we share the end of what has not only been an annual tradition in millions of homes and hearths for hundreds of years, but also a way of life, an inspiration for many who realize the wisdom of generations …

purity level

ReMedium TI®: Maximum Return on Investment

Daniel CooperHLB Management, OTC Expert

Sponsored Content Question: Are third-party research trials showing good improvement in HLB symptoms with the use of ReMedium TI®? Answer: There have been a number of research trials performed by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) and U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) over the past couple of years. ReMedium TI® results have been …

sprouting

Record Brazilian Sprouting Increases HLB Risk

Daniel CooperBrazil, HLB Management, Psyllids

The first half of November saw the most sprouting ever observed in Brazilian citrus by the Psyllid Alert, reaching 37.4%. This scenario raises an alarm for citrus growers, since the increase in sprouting is directly linked to the growth of the psyllid population, the insect vector of huanglongbing (HLB) disease. HLB is also known as citrus greening. According to the …

Eagle Lake

Eagle Lake Field Day Highlights Conventional Breeding Potential

Daniel CooperBreeding, Events, HLB Management

The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) citrus breeding team hosted a field day on Nov. 19 at the UF/IFAS Eagle Lake Block. The Eagle Lake Block is a 30-acre property that was gifted to CREC as part of the Jim Hughes estate. The grove tour featured several selections being …

expanded

HLB and Medfly Quarantines Expanded

Daniel CooperCalifornia Corner, Pests, Regulation

California’s huanglongbing (HLB, also known as citrus greening) quarantine and its Santa Clara Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) quarantine were recently expanded. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) in cooperation with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) expanded the quarantines. HLB The HLB-quarantined area in Riverside County was expanded by 3 square miles. …

tariff

South Africa Applauds U.S. Tariff Exemption on Oranges

Daniel CooperInternational, Trade

The Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa (CGA) welcomed new U.S. tariff exemptions that include oranges. It stated that the new exemption is great news for the 2026 season, which starts around April. According to CGA, the exemption once again makes South African oranges competitive in the U.S. market, which holds opportunities for increased exports and local job creation. The …

Florida Farm Bureau

Florida Farm Bureau Supports Amending OJ Standard

Daniel CooperLegislative, Orange Juice

Florida Farm Bureau has submitted comments supporting the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) proposal to amend the standard of identity (SOI) for pasteurized orange juice (POJ) by lowering the minimum soluble solids content from 10.5° to 10° Brix. The FDA proposed an amendment earlier this year in response to a 2021 Florida citrus industry petition. Following are some comments from …

Golden Ridge Groves

Golden Ridge Groves to Open CUPS U-Pick and Farm Market

Daniel CooperCUPS

Golden Ridge Groves will open Nov. 20 in Alturas, Florida. The new business includes u-pick in a citrus under protective screen (CUPS) structure and a farm market. The operation will be open for the season Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Husband and wife owners Shane and Katie Bevilacqua answered questions about the new business. Q: When will …

ReMedium TI®

ReMedium TI® Approved for Fourth Year in Florida

Daniel CooperHLB Management

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services recently approved TJ BioTech’s request for a Section 24(c) registration related to a fourth year of use of the oxytetracycline (OTC) product ReMedium TI®. The product is a systemic injectable antimicrobial for the control or suppression of huanglongbing (HLB) disease in citrus. The Section 24(c) registration is a special local need registration. …

replanting

What to Consider When Replanting a Grove

Daniel Cooperplanting, Tip of the Week

By Edwin Gutierrez-Rodriguez and Bosques Jonael Replanting a citrus grove can be an exciting prospect, but it’s not as simple as swapping trees. New cultivars, for example, may require a different setup. Here are some aspects to consider before jumping in: First steps: Newly released cultivars and rootstocks as wells as the Citrus Research and Field Trial programs are refreshing the …

government shutdown

End of Government Shutdown Good for Ag

Daniel CooperAgriculture, Legislative

Florida Farm Bureau commented on issues of importance to agriculturists after the government shutdown ended. Parts of the Florida Farm Bureau announcement follow: On Wednesday, Nov. 12, President Donald Trump signed legislation that funds the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Department of Veterans Affairs for the remainder of fiscal year 2026. The measure …

positive

Positive Signs Being Seen in Florida Groves

Daniel CooperProduction

In the November Highlands County Citrus Growers Association newsletter, President Riley McKenna and Executive Director Ray Royce reported mostly positive signs they’ve been seeing in groves. MCKENNA “As the month progresses, so have the cooler nighttime temperatures. This cold front marks an important shift moving forward into our early harvest season,” said McKenna. “It brings both anticipation for fruit ripening …

CRAFT

CRAFT Provides Program Updates

Daniel CooperCRAFT, planting

The Citrus Research and Field Trial Foundation (CRAFT) recently reported it has processed more than 2,000 applications for its Year 7 programs. It has received more than $207 million in eligible applications across all program areas, with approximately $106 million available for funding projects this year. FAST TRACK All eligible Fast Track applications have been funded, and 220 contracts have …

alliance

New Alliance to Support Farmers’ Mental Health

Daniel CooperAgriculture

The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) has expanded the reach of its Farm State of Mind initiative by joining with the Farm Family Wellness Alliance to launch the Farm State of Mind Alliance. The Farm Family Wellness Alliance began in 2020 as a pilot project by Farm Foundation and National 4-H Council. It expanded in 2023 to support offering Togetherall …