regenerative pilot

Regenerative Pilot Program To Improve Soil, Water and Productivity

Daniel Coopersoil, Water

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a $700 million Regenerative Pilot Program to help American farmers adopt practices that improve soil health, enhance water quality and boost long-term productivity. “Protecting and improving the health of our soil is critical not only for the future viability of farmland, but to the future success of American farmers,” U.S. Secretary of Agriculture …

block grant

Update on Disaster Block Grant Progress

Daniel CooperEvents, financial

Florida Citrus Mutual recently hosted a grower information meeting and lunch at Kenny Sanders barn and grove in Zolfo Springs on Dec. 10. Matt Joyner, Mutual’s executive vice president and chief operating officer, welcomed attendees and provided some updates on several key issues. Joyner said one of the most common questions he has been getting lately from growers is: What’s …

new

New Mexfly Quarantine in Texas

Daniel CooperPests, Regulation, Texas

On Dec. 5, U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) officials established a new Mexican fruit fly (Mexfly) quarantine. Located in La Feria, Cameron County, Texas, it has been designated the La Feria quarantine. FOUND IN GRAPEFRUIT GROVE APHIS and TDA established the new quarantine in response to the Dec. …

supplemental disaster

Supplemental Disaster Relief Program Applications Being Accepted

Daniel CooperAgriculture, financial, hurricane

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is accepting applications for Stage Two of the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP). SDRP provides more than $16 billion in disaster relief payments to eligible producers who suffered revenue, quality or production losses to crops, trees, bushes or vines due to qualifying disaster events in 2023 and 2024. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is …

changes

Quarantine Changes for California and Texas

Daniel CooperPests, Regulation

Federal and state agriculture officials recently made changes to huanglongbing (HLB, also known as citrus greening disease) and Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) quarantines in California. They also removed a Mexican fruit fly (Mexfly) quarantine in Texas. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) reported these changes. CALIFORNIA HLB On Nov. 25, APHIS and the California …

Whitmore Farm Field Day Returns After Hurricane Milton

Tacy CalliesEvents, Rootstocks, Varieties

In early December, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) hosted its annual field day at the A.H. Whitmore Foundation Farm in Groveland, Florida. The field day was canceled last year due to Hurricane Milton. The storm brought 110 mph winds that stripped trees of fruit and caused other damage. The field day showcased various rootstocks and varieties that have been …

sweet orange scab

California Sweet Orange Scab and HLB Quarantines Expanded

Daniel CooperCalifornia Corner, Diseases, Regulation

Federal agriculture officials on Nov. 25 announced the expansions of the areas quarantined for sweet orange scab (SOS) and huanglongbing (HLB) diseases in California. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) in cooperation with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) enacted the expansions. SOS The SOS quarantined area has been expanded by 5 …

purity level

ReMedium TI®: Maximum Return on Investment

Daniel CooperHLB Management, OTC Expert

Sponsored Content Question: Are third-party research trials showing good improvement in HLB symptoms with the use of ReMedium TI®? Answer: There have been a number of research trials performed by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) and U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) over the past couple of years. ReMedium TI® results have been …

expanded

HLB and Medfly Quarantines Expanded

Daniel CooperCalifornia Corner, Pests, Regulation

California’s huanglongbing (HLB, also known as citrus greening) quarantine and its Santa Clara Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) quarantine were recently expanded. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) in cooperation with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) expanded the quarantines. HLB The HLB-quarantined area in Riverside County was expanded by 3 square miles. …

tariff

South Africa Applauds U.S. Tariff Exemption on Oranges

Daniel CooperInternational, Trade

The Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa (CGA) welcomed new U.S. tariff exemptions that include oranges. It stated that the new exemption is great news for the 2026 season, which starts around April. According to CGA, the exemption once again makes South African oranges competitive in the U.S. market, which holds opportunities for increased exports and local job creation. The …

NVDMC

CITRUS NURSERY SOURCE: NVDMC’s Research Initiatives for 2025–26

Daniel CooperCitrus Nursery Source, Research

By Peter Chaires Last month’s Citrus Nursery Source article promised additional details on New Varieties Development & Management Corp.’s (NVDMC) 2025–26 sponsored projects. While there is only space for general summaries, it is important to highlight the areas of focus for each research team, and the emphasis on short-term benefits while continuing to build a foundation for the future. NVDMC …

government shutdown

End of Government Shutdown Good for Ag

Daniel CooperAgriculture, Legislative

Florida Farm Bureau commented on issues of importance to agriculturists after the government shutdown ended. Parts of the Florida Farm Bureau announcement follow: On Wednesday, Nov. 12, President Donald Trump signed legislation that funds the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Department of Veterans Affairs for the remainder of fiscal year 2026. The measure …

Perdue

Perdue Joins National Ag Hall of Fame

Daniel CooperAgriculture, Awards

Sonny Perdue was inducted into the National Agricultural Hall of Fame on Oct. 23 for his contributions to American agriculture. He is a former Georgia governor and U.S. secretary of agriculture and the current University System of Georgia chancellor. Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper nominated Perdue with support from Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and American Farm Bureau President and Georgia …

Medfly

Medfly Quarantine Expansion

Daniel CooperCalifornia Corner, Pests, Regulation

Federal and state agriculture officials expanded the Santa Clara Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) quarantine twice in late October in California’s Alameda and Santa Clara counties. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) enacted the expansion. On Oct. 21, the agencies expanded the quarantine in response to …

NuCitrus

NuCitrus Shows Strong HLB Tolerance

Daniel CooperHLB Management, Varieties

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers are putting genes from a non-citrus plant into Hamlin oranges to develop citrus plants that fight huanglongbing (HLB), also known as citrus greening disease. The newly developed plant is called NuCitrus. It’s based on a protein called Arabidopsis NPR1 (AtNPR1). The new citrus shows strong tolerance to HLB, but not …

Farm Service Agency

Farm Service Agency Resumes Core Operations

Daniel CooperAgriculture, financial

Approximately 2,100 U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency county offices on Oct. 23 resumed core operations during the government shutdown. The action is expected to help farmers access $3 billion worth of aid from existing programs. The Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) reported that Commodity Credit Corp. programs that fully resumed include: GDA reported that intake-only programs that resumed …

medfly

Several Expansions to Santa Clara Medfly Quarantine

Daniel CooperCalifornia Corner, Pests, Regulation

Over the past month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) have expanded the Santa Clara Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) quarantine in California three times. Their actions resulted in the inclusion of a portion of Alameda County in the quarantine while also expanding the quarantine area …

Mexfly

Changes to Mexfly Quarantines in Texas

Daniel CooperPests, Regulation, Texas

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) have made several recent changes to Mexican fruit fly (Mexfly) quarantines in Texas. DONNA REMOVED On Sept. 10, the agencies reduced the Donna Mexfly quarantine in Hidalgo County by 66 square miles, including 945 acres of commercial citrus. The amended quarantine …

specialty crops

Officials Urged to Include Specialty Crops in Aid Program

Daniel Cooperfinancial, Legislative

The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance (SCFBA) and two groups of U.S. representatives recently urged federal officials to include specialty crop producers in any new federal economic assistance program for agriculture. The SCFBA, co-chaired by Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association President Mike Joyner, addressed the issue in a letter to President Donald Trump. “Although our growers are experiencing similar economic …

Mexfly quarantine

Texas Mexfly Fruit Movement Protocol Revised

Daniel CooperPests, Regulation, Texas

Federal agriculture officials have revised the requirements for the interstate movement of fresh citrus fruit from core areas of a Mexican fruit fly (Mexfly) quarantine in Texas. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) issued a revised federal order and protocol on Sept. 23. The protocol in the federal order provides three schedules for the interstate …