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Below you'll see everything we could locate for your search of “North Florida”
Growers spend a substantial amount of money every year to employ a labor force for their crops. Labor is the main issue that John Walt Boatright deals with as director of government affairs at the American Farm Bureau Federation. “No matter where we go and no matter who we talk to in farm country, labor continues to be the focal …
By Megan Dewdney Despite being in a transition from a La Niña to a neutral El Niño Southern Oscillation phase, Florida has not had warmer than average temperatures in the last two weeks from March 3. Looking at historical trends, temperatures for the last two weeks of February were in the normal range for this time of year. When looking …
By Brenda Eubanks Burnette In 1924, a group of citrus growers in Winter Haven decided to showcase Florida’s burgeoning citrus industry with a celebration they originally called the Winter Haven Orange Festival. The event included business booths, beautiful displays of citrus fruit and a search for a young woman to represent the industry during the three-day festival. The festival was …
Florida state climatologist David Zierden recently discussed past and present weather impacts on Florida citrus and said the next three months of winter are projected to be warmer than usual. Zierden, of Florida State University’s Center for Ocean-Atmospheric Prediction Studies, spoke during a virtual Winter Weather Lunch Break on Dec. 10. PAST Zierden said 13 freezes occurred over a 162-year …
This is the fifth installment of Q&A features with Brenda Eubanks Burnette, the 2024 Citrus Achievement Award winner. Why do you believe in the future of Florida citrus? Burnette: I think Florida citrus growers, like most other farmers, are the most resilient, stubborn and steadfast people you’ll ever meet. We have multi-generational families who have helped shape the state of …
Peter Chaires, New Varieties Development and Management Corp. executive director, spoke about citrus breeding at the Cold Hardy Citrus Workshop on Sept. 24 at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension office in Perry. Chaires said HLB tolerance “is an essential element of everything that’s being done in the breeding program with a stronger emphasis than …
Blood oranges teeming with antioxidants and other health benefits may be a shot in the arm for consumers and citrus growers, if the fruit is stored at cool temperatures, a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) study shows. But it’s too soon to know if blood oranges are a viable crop for the Florida citrus industry, …
In the fall of 2022, five University of Florida researchers investigated Florida residents’ attitudes on HLB and Asian citrus psyllids (ACP) using online surveys over a 9-month period. The results of the study, Residents’ contribution to Asian citrus psyllid and citrus greening management in Florida residential habitats, was recently published in the Journal of Integrated Pest Management. Authors Romain Exilien, …
Citrus historian and volunteer extraordinaire Brenda Eubanks Burnette is the 2024 Citrus Achievement Award winner. Brenda Eubanks Burnette’s initial exposure to the citrus industry was merely by chance. As Miss Winter Haven in 1978, she was asked to fill in when the reigning Florida Citrus Queen couldn’t make a scheduled appearance at a citrus processing plant. A MEMORABLE REIGN Needing …
Muhmmad Shahid and Shahid Iqbal recently provided advice on planting cold-hardy citrus in Florida. Shahid is an assistant professor of horticulture/fruit physiologist, and Iqbal is a postdoctoral scholar in horticultural sciences, both at the University of Florida North Florida Research and Education Center. Edited excerpts from their article in the Cold Hardy Citrus Connection follow: BEFORE YOU PLANT Properly planting …
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is allocating more than $5 million to Florida for plant-health protection. The funding is part of a nationwide effort to strengthen the country’s infrastructure for pest detection, surveillance and mitigation, as well as protect the U.S. nursery system. Through the authority of the Plant Protection Act (PPA) Section 7721, USDA is providing more than …
The World Citrus Organisation (WCO) on Nov. 15 projected that Northern Hemisphere citrus production will hit 28.98 metric tons in 2023. That’s up 12.21% compared to the prior year and 1.48% higher than the four-year average. It also exceeds the WCO’s forecast of 24.35 million tons for the Southern Hemisphere. Oranges are forecast to account for 50% of Northern Hemisphere …
The Citrus Label Tour, comprised of 81 signs in Florida, has been established to educate the public about the history of the citrus industry through citrus crate labels. The tour is a partnership of the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame, Polk History Center and Visit Central Florida. The tour is now in four counties — Polk, Indian River, Lake and …
There has been much focus on the benefits of applications of plant growth regulators like gibberellic acid and 2,4-D, and more recently oxytetracycline hydrochloride to improve the health of citrus trees infected with HLB. Silicon also has been highlighted for its potential benefits to citrus. Mohammad Adnan Shahid, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) assistant professor, …
By Tom Spreen To proclaim that 2022 was a difficult year for the Florida citrus industry would be an understatement. In late January, a short freeze hit much of the commercial citrus-producing area with long-term implications. While its effect on the 2021–22 crop was small, it came as the 2022–23 bloom was about to begin after a warm December. It …
While the Florida citrus industry has seen its fair share of challenges from HLB and recent hurricanes, the industry still swings a big stick according to research conducted by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). The study, The 2020-21 Economic Contributions of the Florida Citrus Industry, was released in February. Christa Court, UF/IFAS economist and …
The World Citrus Organisation’s (WCO) Northern Hemisphere citrus production forecast for the 2022–23 season is 25.958 million tons, a 13% decrease from the prior season. Production of every citrus variety in the Northern Hemisphere is forecast to dip by more than 11%. The forecast is based on data from Egypt, Greece, Israel, Italy, Morocco, Spain, Tunisia, Turkey and the United …
When Hurricane Nicole formed off Florida’s east coast, citrus growers held their collective breath after the beating they took in late September from Hurricane Ian. Nicole made landfall just south of Vero Beach on Nov. 10. Winds near hurricane strength were recorded at multiple weather stations as Nicole came ashore, including 75 miles per hour (mph) in Port St. John and …
Florida accounted for 14% of H-2A jobs certified in 2020, making it the leading user of the temporary guest agricultural worker program. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service (USDA/ERS) recently reported that Florida and five other states accounted for 55% of the certified H-2A jobs in 2020. The other large H-2A users were Georgia (10%), Washington (10%), California …
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Aug. 5 announced the reappointment of the nine members of the Florida Citrus Commission. They are: CHRISTOPHER GROOMGroom is chief operating officer of Florida’s Natural Growers. He serves as vice president and treasurer of Florida’s Natural Growers Foundation. Groom earned his bachelor’s degree in economics and Hispanic studies from Northwestern University and his master’s degree in …
