March

All In For Citrus Podcast, March 2026

Daniel CooperAll In For Citrus Podcast, Events

The March All In For Citrus podcast previews a couple of events coming in April and May that growers will want to mark on their calendars. Michael Rogers, director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC), discusses the Florida Citrus Growers’ Institute scheduled for April 14 at South Florida …

Citrus Research

Florida Citrus Research Organizations To Merge

Daniel CooperCRAFT, CRDF, Research

The Florida Farm Bill, signed into law on March 23 by Gov. Ron DeSantis, combines the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) with the Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) Foundation. The law will take effect July 1. CRDF Chief Operating Officer Rick Dantzler cited some of the bills provisions pertaining to the merge: Dantzler reported that reasons cited for the …

industry

Florida Citrus Commission Acts on Industry Requests

Daniel CooperFlorida Citrus Commission, Florida Department of Citrus, Fresh

The Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) on March 18 responded affirmatively to citrus industry requests for increased marketing allocations for domestic fresh citrus and for limited promotions in some export markets. The FCC is the governing board for the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC). DOMESTIC FRESH CITRUS The FDOC reported that a request from Florida Citrus Mutual for allocating more of …

industry

Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo: Bringing the Industry Together Year After Year

Daniel CooperCitrus Expo, Events

In an industry built on hard work and resilience, having a place to come together matters. The Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo offers exactly that, a space where growers and industry leaders connect, share and strengthen the relationships that drive agriculture forward. For many growers, the Expo has become a yearly tradition. It’s a time to reconnect with familiar faces, …

CRAFT

CRAFT Discussed at Florida Citrus Show

Daniel CooperCRAFT, Events, Florida Citrus Show

The Florida Citrus Show provided an opportunity for Citrus Research and Field Trial Foundation (CRAFT) Executive Director Steven Hall to share the organization’s accomplishments and future plans. Hall moderated a panel discussion and spoke about the organization’s work. “Thanks to Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, Senate President Ben Albritton, the Florida Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis, we’ve been able to …

ecological mowing

Cover Crops, Ecological Mowing Benefit Citrus

Daniel CooperBrazil, Cover Crops

Brazil’s Fundecitrus reported on the benefits to citrus from the use of perennial cover crops such as Urochloa ruziziensis combined with the adoption of ecological mowing. This technology has been gaining space in groves by redistributing the phytomass of cover crops from the interrows to the planting rows, forming a protective mulching layer over the soil. Benefits of the management …

A Bright Future Ahead: Florida Citrus Show Celebrates Growers and Innovation

Morgan ColeEvents, FCS24, Florida Citrus Show

The AgNet Media team extends a heartfelt thank-you to all of the exhibitors, sponsors, speakers, attendees and, most importantly, the growers who made the Florida Citrus Show such a special and successful event. Events like the Florida Citrus Show are about more than just gathering together for a day. They are about creating a space for growers to continue learning, …

Brazilian citrus

Brazilian Citrus Contributes to Climate Change Mitigation

Daniel CooperBrazil, Environment

Brazilian citrus farming plays a strategic role in environmental sustainability, a recent article from Fundecitrus reported. The citrus industry demonstrates significant potential to contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gases, either through carbon sequestration or the adoption of more sustainable agricultural practices. Between 2022 and 2024, Embrapa Territorial, in partnership with Fundecitrus, conducted a project to map and quantify carbon …

traits

Citrus Traits To Be Studied in Australia

Daniel CooperBreeding, Research

Queensland University of Technology (QUT) Professor Peter Prentis will lead a $2.2 million study to investigate the genetic basis of several citrus traits. This includes disease resistance and plant growth habits.  QUT researchers will work with members of the CRC Future Food Systems and Superior Production PTY LTD. The project is titled “Elucidating the genetic basis of disease, dwarfing, seedlessness …

varieties

CITRUS NURSERY SOURCE: Important Details About Newly Available Citrus Varieties

Daniel CooperCitrus Nursery Source, Varieties

By Peter Chaires There are presently two groups of University of Florida (UF) citrus varieties, licensed to Florida citrus nurseries via New Varieties Development & Management Corp. (NVDMC), the licensing designee of the Florida Department of Citrus. These include: GROUP ONE Get more details on group one in the February 2025 Citrus Nursery Source article. GROUP TWO Find more information …

Australian

Australian Citrus Continues to Climb

Daniel CooperCrop Forecast, International

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) has forecast year-over-year production increases for Australian oranges, orange juice and mandarins in 2025–26.  ORANGES Orange production in Australia is projected to reach 590,000 metric tons (MT) in 2025–26, up from 580,000 MT the prior year. Of the total forecast, 365,000 MT is expected to come from navel varieties and …

sales

Organic Sales, Including Citrus, on the Rise

Daniel CooperOrganic

U.S. sales of certified organic products accelerated in 2025, reaching $76.6 billion with an annual growth rate of 6.8%, according to the Organic Trade Association’s (OTA) 2026 Organic Market Report. In 2025, organic products grew at a fast pace, double that of the comparable marketplace growth of 3.4%. Organic citrus had an especially strong year, with sales climbing 18.1%. “For …

citrus canker

Alternatives to Copper Needed for Citrus Canker Management

Daniel CooperDiseases

Florida citrus producers have long used copper as a way to protect against citrus canker. However, it’s time for growers to have other options. That’s a message shared by Ozgur Batuman, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) associate professor and citrus pathologist at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center in Immokalee. He spoke on this …

Georgia citrus

Diversification Taking Root in Georgia Citrus

Daniel CooperCitrus

The Georgia Citrus Association celebrated its 10th anniversary at its recent annual meeting. Much has changed in the industry over the past decade, specifically how growers have diversified their production to include more than just satsuma mandarins. “The industry was initially built on satsumas, being that they’re cold hardy, so that is still the majority of the varieties in Georgia,” …

dieback

Dieback a Concern in Citrus Trees Following Freeze

Daniel Cooperfreeze, Georgia

The Georgia citrus industry now has a better grasp on the extent of damage to the state’s crop following the recent freeze events in February and January. Dieback is present in both younger and older trees, says Mary Sutton, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and citrus Extension specialist. “For most of the older, established trees that have gotten some …

Hardee County

Hardee County Citrus and Cattle Land Protected

Daniel CooperEnvironment, Land

More than 1,300 acres of ranchlands, wetlands and floodplains along Charlie Creek in Hardee County are now permanently protected through Florida’s Rural and Family Lands Protection Program (RFLPP). The protection ensures long-term conservation of critical water resources, wildlife habitat and working agricultural lands.  The Charlie Creek Marsh project safeguards more than 3 miles of Charlie Creek, an important tributary to the …

Florida Citrus Show

Last Chance to Preregister for the Florida Citrus Show

Daniel CooperEvents, FCS24, Florida Citrus Show

The Florida Citrus Show is just a week away. Preregistration for the event ends on Sunday, March 8. So, sign up now to skip the onsite registration process. The event is on March 12 at 8:00 a.m. at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Indian River Research and Education Center and the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural …

plan

Georgia Needs Management Plan for Citrus Greening

Daniel CooperGeorgia, HLB Management

Citrus greening disease has yet to find its footing in Georgia’s commercial citrus. But if it does, Georgia’s growers need a plan in place to manage the disease. Lindy Savelle, executive director of the Georgia Citrus Association (GCA), emphasized that message during last week’s GCA annual meeting in Tifton. “There is a very small amount of the disease in commercial …

Citrus & Specialty

Register for the 2026 Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo

Daniel CooperCitrus Expo, Events

Registration is now open for the 2026 Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo, set for Aug. 12–13 at the waterfront Caloosa Sound Convention Center in downtown Fort Myers. The Expo has earned a reputation as a top event for commercial producers. The event brings together citrus and specialty crop growers, allied industry companies, researchers and industry leaders for two days of …

FDACS

FDACS Announces Disaster Updates for Florida Citrus

Daniel Cooperfinancial, freeze, hurricane

As Florida citrus growers deal with the aftermath of freezes, they are at long last able to apply for block grants for damages incurred by 2023 and 2024 hurricanes. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) provided details on citrus freeze damage and began accepting applications for the Florida Block Grant Disaster Relief Program. FREEZE DAMAGE FDACS released …