supreme court

State Argues Citrus Fight Not Finished

Tacy CalliesIndustry News Release

Though the state last month paid more than $19 million in the case, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services wants the state Supreme Court to resolve underlying legal issues in a nearly two-decade battle about the state cutting down Lee County homeowners’ healthy citrus trees. On Aug. 13, the Supreme Court dismissed the case as moot because the …

Coronavirus Program Adds Citrus Varieties

Ernie NeffCOVID-19

Florida Citrus Mutual Executive Vice President and CEO Mike Sparks recently advised Mutual members that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) has added several commodities that now qualify for Part 1 of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). The CFAP provides direct relief to producers who faced price declines and additional marketing costs due to COVID-19. …

Virtual Citrus Expo Sees Great Success

Tacy CalliesCitrus Expo

For nearly three decades, Citrus Expo has been the premier event that growers turn to for the latest information and products to run a successful operation. Although the annual in-person event took a hiatus this year to ensure safety during the COVID-19 pandemic, the virtual event saw tremendous success. “In these unprecedented times, it was important for us to find ways …

citrus

All In For Citrus Podcast, August 2020

Taylor HillmanAll In For Citrus Podcast, Sponsored Content

August brings a special episode of the All In For Citrus podcast as listeners hear from the new leader of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) and get an update on digital offerings. Citrus Research and Education Center Director Michael Rogers starts the episode by announcing a redesign to the UF/IFAS Citrus Research website. The …

World Non-Orange Citrus Production to Drop

Ernie NeffCrop Forecast

Global production of non-orange citrus — tangerines/mandarins, grapefruit, lemons and limes — in 2019-20 is estimated to be lower than the previous year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service. TANGERINES/MANDARINSGlobal production is estimated down 400,000 tons for 2019-20 to 31.6 million with declines in the European Union (EU), Morocco, Turkey and the United States more than …

Citrus Researcher Yu Wang Recognized

Tacy CalliesAwards

She’s early in her career, but food scientist Yu Wang is making great strides in her research. Recognizing Wang’s work, the Agricultural and Food Chemistry division (AGFD) of the American Chemical Society (ACS) recently named her a fellow. Wang, a flavor chemist with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center, may …

florida

Area-Wide Pest Management of Florida Citrus

Tacy CalliesHLB Management

Ariel Singerman, University of Florida assistant professor, made an online presentation during the recent Agricultural and Applied Economics Association annual meeting. He shared his research on the implementation of area-wide pest management throughout the state of Florida. “Diminishment of pest populations by farmers on their own farm is the most widely used strategy for pest control. However, this is compromised …

Citrus Researcher Earns National Award

Tacy CalliesAwards, Industry News Release

Researcher. Scholar. Change agent. Nian Wang, a professor at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), has been recognized for all of these roles with an award from the American Phytopathological Society (APS) at its 2020 annual meeting. Wang received the Ruth Allen award, which honors people who have made an outstanding, innovative research contribution that has …

Fresh Citrus Availability Declining in U.S.

Ernie NeffFresh

Citrus accounted for 14 percent of the supply of fresh fruit available for Americans to eat in 2018, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service (ERS) reports. In 1970, citrus accounted for 24 percent of available fresh fruit. The drop from 24 percent to 14 percent over 48 years partly reflects American’s expanded fresh fruit options, ERS states. In …

court

Citrus Legal Fight Dismissed After Payment

Tacy CalliesIndustry News Release

After the Legislature provided money and a check was sent, the Florida Supreme Court dismissed a nearly two-decade legal battle over the state cutting down Lee County homeowners’ healthy citrus trees. Lawmakers this year approved spending more than $19 million to pay a judgment in the class-action lawsuit, which stemmed from trees being cut down amid efforts to stop the …

Get Citrus Growers’ Institute CEUs

Ernie NeffAll In For Citrus Podcast, CEU

Citrus growers can get continuing education units (CEUs) from the 2020 Florida Citrus Growers’ Institute, even though the in-person version of the annual event was cancelled due to COVID-19. Multi-county citrus Extension agent Chris Oswalt discusses how growers and others can get their restricted-use pesticide license or Certified Crop Advisor CEUs. “We have started to receive those presentations from those …

Citrus Disease: What to Watch for in Georgia

Tacy CalliesDiseases

The citrus greening disease (huanglongbing or HLB) that has devastated Florida’s citrus industry over the past decade has not affected Georgia commercial production. However, growers should still be aware of the potential danger it can bring. According to Jonathan Oliver, fruit pathologist and Extension specialist in the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Georgia (UGA), all confirmed HLB-positive …

California Citrus Movement Rules Amended

Len WilcoxCalifornia Corner, Regulation

The Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Program, an agency of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), has revised the rules governing shipment of citrus within the state. The rules are in place to protect commercial citrus groves from the threat of huanglongbing (HLB) disease. Effective July 31, 2020, bulk citrus fruit may be shipped directly to a packinghouse …

Citrus Products Recalled by Packing Facility

Ernie NeffIndustry News Release

Freshouse II, LLC has recalled Valencia oranges, lemons, limes, organic limes and red B potatoes because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. The recall was voluntarily initiated after the company’s routine …

Win a $200 Bass Pro Gift Card at Citrus Expo

Tacy CalliesCitrus Expo

The Citrus Expo and Vegetable & Specialty Crop Expo are coming to you this year! The popular annual events will be virtual to present information to growers in a safe way against the backdrop of COVID-19. Join us for the virtual event on Aug. 19–20 as we bring the citrus, vegetable and specialty crop (VSC) industries together in this new …

nutrition

Citrus Expo to Cover Wide Range of Production Topics

Tacy CalliesCitrus Expo

The Citrus Expo team and the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) have joined forces to offer educational sessions in a virtual format for this year’s Citrus Expo. On Aug. 19–20, the 2020 seminar program will debut online at CitrusExpo.net at 9:30 a.m. Attendees will be able to watch videos of research presentations. With safety as …

Citrus Expo Seminar Schedule Now Available

Tacy CalliesCitrus Expo

Citrus Expo is coming to you this year! The popular annual event has gone virtual in order to deliver the information to growers that they need. On Aug. 19–20, the 2020 seminar program will debut online at CitrusExpo.net at 9:30 a.m. Attendees will be able to watch videos of the research presentations from their computer or cell phone. See the …

The Future Faces of Florida Citrus

Tacy CalliesScholarship

Meet the four students who received the FMC Citrus Ag Production Scholarships. By Tacy Callies The FMC Citrus Ag Production Scholarships (CAPS) program, a partnership between AgNet Media and FMC, was created to support Florida citrus production and encourage interested youth to pursue careers in citrus. Two University of Florida students and two Florida Southern College students each were awarded …

climate

Kaolin Particle Films for Citrus Under HLB Pressure

Tacy CalliesHLB Management

Managing the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) that spreads citrus greening disease (HLB) has become a crucial task at the forefront of much research. One management option that has proven to reduce ACP populations while increasing tree growth and yield is particle film. During the 2020 virtual Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences …

Citrus Industry Magazine CEU 2020 Article #3

Understanding pesticide labeling By Amir Rezazadeh Editor’s note: This article grants one continuing education unit (CEU) in the Core category toward the renewal of a Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services restricted-use pesticide license when the accompanying test is submitted and approved. The pesticide label is more than just a piece of paper. It is a legal document recognized …