In 2012, Jennifer Doudna, Emmanuelle Charpentier and their research team published a paper in the journal Science describing the CRISPR-Cas9 system as a precise gene-editing tool. It was considered a major scientific breakthrough with huge possibilities in human medicine and in agriculture. Doudna and Charpentier were awarded the Noble Peace Prize in chemistry in 2020 for their pioneering work with …
Medfly Eradicated From California
A Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) infestation centered in and around the city of Fremont, California, has been eradicated. The eradication ends a 213-square-mile quarantine that began Sept. 6, 2024. The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Alameda County agricultural commissioner’s office accomplished the eradication. CDFA used the release of sterile male …
Changes to Texas Mexfly Quarantines
The United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) in July made several changes regarding Mexican fruit fly (Mexfly) quarantines in Texas. They amended the Harlingen-Sebastian quarantine in Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy counties and the Edinburg-Palmview-Donna quarantine in Hidalgo County. In addition, the Sullivan City quarantine in Hidalgo County …
Online Information Hub Launched for Disaster Block Grant
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson announced the launch of a centralized online information hub for the state’s disaster block grant program for agricultural producers impacted by hurricanes in 2023 and 2024. The new webpage — FDACS.gov/BlockGrant — will serve as the official source for updates, eligibility criteria and application details as they become available. “Florida’s agriculture industry was hit …
CRDF Funding Focuses: ACPs and Trees of the Future
The Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) met for its July board of directors meeting to discuss a number of research topics. According to CRDF Chief Operating Officer Rick Dantzler, Asian citrus psyllids (ACPs) were on the agenda. “The CRDF board approved funding of a proposal from Lukasz Stelinski, an entomologist and professor with the University of Florida Institute of …
U.S. Farm Security Plan Announced
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins recently announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Farm Security Action Plan. The plan elevates American agriculture as a key element of national security. “We’ll never let foreign adversaries control our land, our labs or our livelihoods,” Rollins said. The USDA reported that the U.S. Department of Justice recently charged foreign nationals, including …
New Resource for Citrus Exporters
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA/FAS) launched a new resource to support American farmers’ access to international trade opportunities. Maximum Residue Limit Quick Reference Sheets provide information about pesticide residue requirements in major export markets for U.S. producers and shippers of fruits, vegetables and other horticultural crops. USDA FAS developed the MRL Quick Reference Sheets in partnership …
One Big Beautiful Bill a Boost to Specialty Crops
The Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association (FFVA) weighed in on the budget and tax bill signed into law by President Trump. According to FFVA, the recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) delivers a significant boost to the specialty crop industry, with targeted investments that will benefit growers across Florida and the country. Key provisions in the OBBBA include: …
Citrus Greening Quarantines Expanded in California
Federal and state agriculture officials recently expanded the areas quarantined for citrus greening disease in California. They expanded the quarantined area in the Coto de Caza area of Orange County by 11 square miles, the Rancho Santa Margarita area of Orange County by 93 square miles, the Perris area of Riverside County by 37 square miles, and the Rancho Cucamonga …
$675.9 Million Disaster Assistance Block Grant for Florida Farmers
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins appeared today at Cooperative Producers Inc. in Felda, Florida, to meet with agricultural leaders and growers to announce additional U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) assistance to help producers recover from Hurricanes Idalia, Debby, Helene and Milton. Rollins signed a block grant agreement with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) to provide …
Texas Mexfly Quarantines Amended or Removed
The following Mexican fruit fly (Mexfly) quarantines were amended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) on June 26: BROWNSVILLE APHIS and TDA expanded the Brownsville quarantine in Cameron County by 21 square miles following a detection, confirmed on June 10, of one Mexfly larva in a …
One Big Beautiful Bill a Win for Florida Farmers
President Trump on July 4 signed into law One Big Beautiful Bill, a budget and tax package with major implications for agriculture. For Florida farmers, ranchers and rural communities, the bill delivers meaningful wins across the board, Florida Farm Bureau stated. The wins include long-term funding for the Farm Bill, pro-growth tax relief and reforms to federal nutrition programs that …
New HLB Treatment Delivery Systems Under Study
Texas A&M AgriLife Research is launching a multi-institutional study to develop and evaluate systems that deliver treatments to HLB-affected trees. The principal investigator is Kranthi Mandadi, plant molecular biologist at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Weslaco and professor in the Texas A&M Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology. The three-year, $1.1 million project is supported by the Emergency Citrus Disease Research …
Final 2025 U.S. Citrus Crop Forecast Issued
The U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA/NASS) released its last citrus crop forecast update of the 2024-25 season on July 11. The Florida Valencia orange forecast increased 2%, from 7.4 million boxes in June to 7.55 million boxes. That increased the Florida all-orange forecast from 12 million boxes in June to 12.15 million boxes. Florida’s all-grapefruit forecast …
Citrus Canker Quarantines Established and Expanded in Texas
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced June 26 that it was establishing and expanding the quarantined areas for citrus canker in Texas to prevent the spread of the disease. The action was taken in cooperation with the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA). APHIS established a new quarantined area in the Harlingen Area of …
Assistance Available for Natural Disaster Crop Losses
Agricultural producers who suffered eligible crop losses due to natural disasters in 2023 and 2024 can now apply for $16 billion in assistance through the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP). To expedite the implementation of SDRP, The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) is delivering assistance in two stages. This first stage is open to producers …
Texas Mexfly Quarantines Amended
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) recently amended three Mexican fruit fly (Mexfly) quarantines in Texas. This includes the Brownsville Mexfly quarantine in Cameron County and the Edinburg-Palmview and Donna Mexfly quarantines in Hidalgo County. BROWNSVILLE On May 15, the agencies expanded the Brownsville quarantine by 16 …
Promising HLB Solution Advances
A promising solution to HLB is advancing to Phase 2 field trials following research by a Central State University scientist in Ohio. Anthony Arment, a molecular biologist and professor of biology at Central State University, played a key role in early research and ongoing consultation for the project. Pop Test Oncology LLC, operating as Palisades Therapeutics, recently announced that its …
Citrus Black Spot Spreads to More Florida Counties
Citrus black spot (CBS) quarantines have been established for the first time in Florida’s DeSoto and Highlands counties. In addition, sections of other counties have been added to the existing CBS quarantine in Florida. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA/APHIS) in cooperation with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Division of Plant …
Oriental Fruit Fly Quarantine Lifted
The Oriental fruit fly quarantine in California’s Orange County has been lifted following the eradication of the invasive pest. The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Orange County agricultural commissioner, announced the action. The Oriental fruit fly is known to infest more than 250 types of fruits and …





























