state budget

Signed State Budget Invests Nearly $196 Million in Florida Citrus

Daniel Cooperfinancial, Florida

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the state budget on June 29 for the 2026–27 fiscal year. It includes nearly $196 million in support for the recovery and revitalization of Florida’s citrus industry through investments in research, field trials, nursery and packing equipment infrastructure, and marketing.   Florida Citrus Mutual Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer Matt Joyner issued the following statement: …

nominations

Seeking Florida Citrus Hall of Fame Nominations

Daniel CooperAwards

Nominations are being sought by Sept. 15 for potential inductees to the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame. Eligible nominees are distinguished leaders who have made significant contributions to the Florida citrus industry in any of the following fields: pioneering, harvesting, packing, processing, marketing, science and/or education. The Florida Citrus Hall of Fame luncheon and induction ceremony is tentatively scheduled to …

campaign

Brazil Launches Citrus Greening Awareness Campaign

Daniel CooperBrazil, HLB Management

Brazil’s Fundecitrus has launched an awareness campaign — The Fruit of the Orange Tree Is the Progress — to reinforce the need for unity in combating citrus greening disease. The campaign aims to show that orange production extends beyond orchards and the juice industry. Present in hundreds of municipalities, citrus farming drives regional economies, creates direct and indirect jobs, boosts …

June

All In For Citrus Podcast, June 2026

Daniel CooperAll In For Citrus Podcast

The citrus research team at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) generates a lot of information from the trials and experiments they conduct each year. That information can be a valuable resource to growers who are seeking production guidance for their groves. In the June episode of the All In For Citrus podcast, Michael Rogers, …

NVDMC

CITRUS NURSERY SOURCE: NVDMC Research Focus for 2026–27

Daniel CooperCitrus Nursery Source, Research

By Peter Chaires Spring is planning season for most Florida citrus organizations. New Varieties Development & Management Corp. (NVDMC) is no exception. The board recently met with all breeding teams to review 2025–26 sponsored projects and establish research priorities for 2026–27. Though some aspects of these projects will be covered in greater depth in future articles, this month’s column is …

funding

Citrus Growers Enthusiastic About New Round of CRAFT Funding

Daniel CooperCRAFT, Events

The Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference was held in Bonita Springs in mid-June. The event, hosted by Florida Citrus Mutual, was well attended, and the crowd was buoyed by the recent news that growers and industry would be receiving nearly $200 million in funding from the Florida Legislature. Most of those dollars will be directed to the Citrus Research and …

plant growth

Plant Growth Regulators in California Citrus

Daniel CooperCalifornia Corner, PGRs

University of California Riverside Extension subtropical horticulturist Mary Lu Arpaia recently discussed the uses of the plant growth regulators 2,4-D, NAA and ethylene in California citrus. Her June 9 presentation was part of the Citrus Research Board Webinar Series. 2,4-D One use of 2,4-D in California is to increase fruit size of navel oranges, grapefruit, mandarins and mandarin hybrids. For …

Florida citrus

Florida Citrus Marketing Awarded, New Plans Presented

Daniel CooperAwards, Florida Department of Citrus, Marketing

A Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) meeting was held on June 10 at the Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference in Bonita Springs. At the meeting, Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) Executive Director Shannon Shepp reported that the FDOC’s True Original campaign for orange juice (OJ), along with marketing agency Padilla, recently received the Best of Show award from the National Agri-Marketing …

Florida Citrus

Honors Bestowed at Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference

Daniel CooperAwards, Events, Florida

During the Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference, Ned Hancock was presented with the Citrus Achievement Award trophy during a special ceremony at the event’s industry luncheon. Hancock was selected as this year’s winner for his years of dedicated service to the industry and optimism that the industry will overcome HLB and other challenges. In his acceptance speech, Hancock spent much …

consumer

Consumer Insights on Florida Citrus

Daniel CooperFlorida Department of Citrus

Marisa Zansler, Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) director of economic and market research, reported on citrus economic issues at the June Florida Citrus Commission meeting. Her report included consumer perceptions and intentions. ORANGE JUICE Zansler’s reported findings regarding orange juice (OJ) included: FRESH FRUIT Zansler shared the following findings regarding fresh Florida citrus: Source: FDOC Sponsored ContentTake Advantage of Rising …

guide

Explore the 2026 Citrus Variety Guide

Daniel CooperRootstocks, Tip of the Week, Varieties

By Jamie Burrow and Tripti Vashisth If you haven’t had a chance yet, take a few minutes to explore the new 2026 University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Variety Guide. You’ll find it beginning on page 21 of the April 2026 issue of the UF/IFAS Citrus Magazine. WHAT IT INCLUDES This guide is designed to …

A Land Remembered

‘A Land Remembered’ TV Series Producer To Speak at Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo

Daniel CooperCitrus Expo, Events

For many Florida farmers and ranchers, “A Land Remembered” is a treasured piece of historical fiction. The novel chronicles the lives of three generations of the MacIvey family in Florida from the 1850s to the 1960s. There has been a lot of buzz about a new TV series that is being made based on the book. Todd Wiseman Jr., who …

Hancock

Hancock Honored With Citrus Achievement Award

Daniel CooperAwards

Some of Ned Hancock’s earliest memories illustrate what set him on the path to become a citrus grower. His grandfather would pick him up on Saturdays with some tasks to complete in the groves. Then his father awakened his entrepreneurial spirit in his early teens. “My dad had bought a piece of land that had some old seedling orange trees,” …

gibberellic acid

Gibberellic Acid Has Multiple Uses in California Citrus

Daniel CooperCalifornia Corner, PGRs

There are numerous preharvest and postharvest uses of gibberellic acid (GA) in California citrus, a University of California Riverside Extension subtropical horticulturist reported during a June 9 webinar. Mary Lu Arpaia’s GA discussion was a major portion of her broader topic of plant growth regulators in California citrus. Her presentation was part of the Citrus Research Board Webinar Series. WHAT …

Florida grapefruit

IMG and Mixon Form Florida Grapefruit Partnership

Daniel CooperFlorida, Grapefruit

IMG Citrus and Mixon Family Citrus have announced a partnership to serve Florida grapefruit customers around the world. The partnership combines Mixon’s citrus under protective screen (CUPS) production with IMG’s experience marketing grapefruit across North America, Europe and Asia. Both entities are multigenerational Florida agribusiness families. The partnership is expected to account for more than half of Florida’s fresh grapefruit …

citrus mealybug

Citrus Mealybug Advisory Issued

Daniel CooperCalifornia Corner, Pests

University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UCANR) recently issued an Extension advisory regarding citrus mealybug. Citrus mealybug feeds on plant sap and is commonly found in protected areas of the tree, including under the calyx of fruit, in clusters of leaves and within dense canopy growth. Mealybug infestations can reduce tree vigor, contaminate fruit with honeydew and sooty mold, …

rootstocks

Rootstocks May Hold Key to Boosting Citrus Fruit Nutrition

Daniel CooperNutrition, Rootstocks

When citrus growers select a rootstock, they typically focus on traits such as tree vigor, yield potential, disease tolerance and adaptation to soil conditions. New research suggests there may be another important factor to consider: the nutritional quality of the fruit. A recent study in India found that rootstocks can significantly influence the mineral nutrient content of citrus fruit. The …

climate change

Climate Change Is Changing Citrus Nutrition

Daniel CooperNutrition, Weather

Climate change is creating new challenges for citrus growers, and one of the biggest impacts is on tree nutrition. According to a recent article in Frontiers in Plant Science authored by an international team of researchers, rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, drought, flooding, salinity and elevated carbon dioxide levels are all affecting how citrus trees take up and use nutrients. …

Highlands

Update on the Highlands County Citrus Growers Association

Daniel CooperCitrus, Florida

Highlands County Citrus Growers Association (HCCGA) Executive Director Ray Royce recently provided an update on the area’s current grove conditions and freeze recovery as well as the association’s status and priorities. GROVE CONDITIONS “For most groves in Highlands County, it is very clear now whether they are under active management and engaged in advanced production practices,” Royce said. “Those that …

specialty crops

Florida Citrus Payment Details for Specialty Crop Assistance Program

Daniel Cooperfinancial, USDA

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on May 29 announced payment rates and the enrollment period for the Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers (ASCF) Program. The USDA will issue $1.625 billion in payments to eligible specialty crop producers in response to elevated input costs and market disruptions resulting from foreign competitors engaging in unfair trade practices that impeded specialty crop …