difficult

Brazil to Implement National Greening Prevention and Control Program

Daniel CooperBrazil, HLB Management

Brazilian agriculture officials recently visited Fundecitrus to discuss the first steps in implementing the National Greening Prevention and Control Program, which will be implemented by the states. The officials were with the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply (MAPA) and the Agricultural Defense Coordination Office of the State of São Paulo. The ordinance establishing the National Greening Prevention and …

replanting

Replanting Is the Next Chapter for Florida Citrus

Daniel CooperFlorida Department of Citrus

By Marisa L. Zansler Two decades of decline has resulted in a loss of nearly 2 out of every 3 acres since 2004. That is a sobering statistic, and it captures the harsh reality of Florida’s iconic citrus industry. The symbol of the state’s agricultural strength has endured a prolonged period of decline driven by the impacts from the spread …

future

A Bright Future and New Normal for Citrus

Daniel CooperCitrus Expo

Citrus has a brighter future in Florida and surrounding areas, according to one industry expert. Hopefully, there will be enough farmers left standing to profit from it. Rick Dantzler, Citrus Research and Development Foundation chief operating officer, was a featured speaker at this year’s Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo. He spoke about the industry’s future as it continues to navigate …

Canopy Management Needed for Cold-Hardy Citrus

Tacy CalliesCold Hardy, Pruning

Pruning may help cold-hardy producers salvage their satsuma crop from one year to the next and not endure extreme alternate bearing cycles. “Pruning in the heavy year may help alleviate that alternate bearing pattern. But we still have to do the research to support that,” said Mary Sutton, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and citrus Extension specialist. While pruning …

OTC

Citrus Industry Leader Has High Hopes for OTC

Daniel CooperCitrus Expo, HLB Management

Rick Dantzler, Citrus Research and Development Foundation chief operating officer, provided hope for citrus growers during the recent Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo. He believes citrus greening disease could soon be a thing of the past. But to get growers to that “tree of the future,” they need short-term solutions to overcome the devastating disease. Dantzler continues to tout trunk …

solutions

New, Faster Solutions Needed for Citrus Survival

Daniel CooperBreeding, Citrus Expo, HLB Management

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers have made significant progress in finding ways to manage citrus greening disease. But solutions needs to be expedited for the sake of the citrus industry’s future in Florida. Scott Angle, UF/IFAS senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources, emphasized that point during last week’s Citrus & Specialty Crop …

delegation

Fundecitrus Hosts California Delegation

Daniel CooperBrazil, California Corner, International

Brazil’s Fundecitrus recently hosted a delegation of approximately 20 agricultural leaders from California. Karen Ross, secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, led the delegation. The group visited Brazil to learn more about Fundecitrus’ research, education, training and sustainability initiatives focused on citrus farming. The Californians participated in technical discussions with researchers and took a tour of Fundecitrus’ …

honeymoon phase

Honeymoon Phase for Georgia Citrus Production

Daniel CooperDiseases, Georgia

Georgia citrus growers are still in the honeymoon phase of production with regards to disease, said Jonathan Oliver, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and small fruits pathologist. While established groves in Florida have had to deal with disease buildup for decades, disease has yet to be problematic for South Georgia citrus production. But that could be changing. “With respect …

conference

Citrus Biotechnology and Sustainability Addressed at Conference

Daniel CooperAs Seen On Instagram, Brazil, Events

Fundecitrus researcher Nelson Wulff discussed his organization’s efforts against citrus greening in Brazil during the recent IFAMA 2025 (International Food and Agribusiness Management Association) world conference. The event took place in Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo. Wulff spoke about Fundecitrus’ research focused on combating greening and controlling its vector in orchards. His presentation occurred during his participation in a panel titled …

trunk injection

The Potential of Trunk Injection for Fresh Market Citrus

Daniel CooperFresh, HLB Management

By John M. Chater Citrus tree trunk injection of antibiotics has been recently and widely used in Florida. The success of oxytetracycline (OTC) in sweet orange to mitigate huanglongbing (HLB or citrus greening) disease has been documented by the laboratory of Ute Albrecht, associate professor at the University of Florida. Some results suggest that OTC injection can improve Brix, ratio, …

citrus crop forecast

Final 2025 U.S. Citrus Crop Forecast Issued

Daniel CooperCitrus, Crop Forecast, Oranges, USDA

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 …

MASC program

Florida Legislature Invests Record-Breaking $140 Million in Citrus Industry

Tacy CalliesAs Seen On Instagram, Legislative

Matt Joyner, Florida Citrus Mutual executive vice president and chief executive officer, issued the following statement in reaction to the Florida Legislature’s approval of nearly $140 million ($139,673,565) for the citrus industry in the state’s 2025–26 fiscal year budget: “Florida’s citrus growers applaud the Florida Legislature’s record-breaking investment of nearly $140 million to shepherd the state’s iconic citrus industry back to …

pathogens

Brazilian Biotech Company Targeting Citrus Pathogens

Daniel CooperBrazil, Diseases, Research

With support from the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP), Ideelab is developing more efficient strategies to combat pathogens that threaten citrus. The work of Ideelab, a São Paulo startup company, is based on the principle that plants communicate with microorganisms through specific molecules called effectors. Effectors are peptides and proteins that are produced naturally and interact with the pattern recognition …

São Paulo

Fundecitrus Honors São Paulo Ag Secretary

Daniel CooperAwards, Brazil

Brazil’s Fundecitrus recently led a tribute to Guilherme Piai, secretary of agriculture and supply of the state of São Paulo. The recognition of the secretary’s support in the fight against citrus greening occurred during the opening ceremony of the 50th Expocitrus/46th Citrus Week. Fundecitrus Executive Director Juliano Ayres presented Piai with a symbolic trophy in gratitude for his work and …

engineer

Citrus Engineer Honored

Daniel CooperAwards, Brazil

Ivaldo Sala, coordinator of the Fundecitrus Technology Transfer department, recently received the Outstanding Agricultural Engineer in Citrus award. The award was granted by organizers of the 50th Expocitrus/46th Citrus Week in Brazil.  The award ceremony was part of the opening afternoon of the exhibition week. Sala, who has worked at Fundecitrus 32 years, said, “We have worked tirelessly, transforming the …

harvest

Alico Conducts Last Major Citrus Harvest

Daniel CooperHarvesting

Florida landowner Alico, Inc. announced May 13 that it completed its last major citrus harvest in April. The company will conduct a final harvest on the majority of its 3,783 acres of remaining operational citrus groves in fiscal year 2026. Alico has negotiated agreements to lease another 5,250 acres of different groves to third-party citrus growers next season. Earlier this …

Florida Citrus Forecast Holds Steady

Tacy CalliesAs Seen On Instagram, Crop Forecast

The 2024–25 citrus forecast released on May 12 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows little change from the April forecast. ORANGESThe Florida all-orange forecast, at 11.63 million boxes, is up less than 1% from last month. If realized, this will be 36% less than last season’s final production. The forecast consists of 4.58 million boxes of non-Valencia oranges (early, …

tree of the future

Citrus Tree of the Future Still Years Away

Daniel CooperCRDF, HLB Management

Not surprisingly, the focus of the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) centers on providing growers with help to overcome huanglongbing (HLB) disease. CRDF President Morgan McKenna Porter believes that help will best come with the development of the “tree of the future.” She says that tree does not have to be completely resistant to citrus greening. As long as …

greening-resistant

Greening-Resistant Orange Tree Research Progresses

Daniel CooperHLB Management, International, Research

Researchers with the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD) recently visited Brazil to discuss cooperative efforts with Fundecitrus to develop greening-resistant orange trees. The CIRAD researchers were Raphaël Morillon and Bárbara Hufnagel. CIRAD is an agronomic research and international cooperation organization for the sustainable development of tropical and Mediterranean regions. CIRAD maintains a large citrus genomic database on …

Florida citrus

State Aims to Help Florida Citrus

Daniel CooperFlorida Department of Citrus, Legislative, Marketing

Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) Chairman Steve Johnson recently wrote about Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) and state legislative efforts to help rejuvenate the Florida citrus industry. Johnson described the efforts in a column titled “The Four Rs of Florida Citrus Right Now: Reset. Replant. Renew. Renaissance.” FDOC INITIATIVES Johnson listed the following efforts by the FDOC: WORKING WITH THE LEGISLATURE …