Citrus and other specialty crops suffered large losses from the late January/early February freeze that walloped Florida. Get the details in the cover story of the March issue of Specialty Crop Grower magazine. The article provides the early estimates of damage by crop according to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. It also discusses efforts to secure financial …
Citrus State of the Industry Survey, Part 2: Planting Intentions
The 2025–26 State of the Citrus Industry Survey asked growers if they are planting and what their variety and rootstock selections are. It also surveyed growers on their sentiments about the future of citrus in Florida. Following are some highlights from the survey which was conducted in the fall of 2025. (See Part 1 of survey results here). Growers’ preference …
Earn Continuing Education Units at the Florida Citrus Show
The Florida Citrus Show is only two weeks away, scheduled for March 12. The event will be held at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Indian River Research and Education Center and the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory in Fort Pierce. The educational seminars have much to offer for both citrus …
Act Seeks Affordable Crop Insurance After Freeze
U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody and Congressman Scott Franklin, both of Florida, have introduced legislation directing research and development of affordable crop insurance to cover losses caused by cold exposure and freezes. The Temperature Event Mitigation Policy (TEMP) Act introduction comes in the wake of the late January/early February freeze that caused an estimated $3.1 billion in losses to Florida’s crops. …
CITRUS NURSERY SOURCE: A Valuable Field Day
By Peter Chaires Commercial and nursery growers, processors, packers, suppliers, caretakers, associations and research scientists came together on Dec. 5 to participate in the A.H. Whitmore Foundation Farm Open House and Field Day. This great event is co-hosted annually by the Florida Citrus Research Foundation (FCRF) and U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS). TOUR The event provided a broad …
Postfreeze Irrigation and Fertilization for Citrus Trees
Irrigation and fertilizer applications are important management tools for Florida citrus growers following the recent freeze event in late January/early February. Davie Kadyampakeni, associate professor in soil, water and ecosystem sciences at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), discussed both facets of tree maintenance during a postfreeze webinar hosted by the UF/IFAS Citrus Team. Key …
Estimate Puts Florida Freeze Damage at More Than $3 Billion
As growers surveyed fields and groves after the freeze in late January and early February, it was clear the damage has been catastrophic in many cases. That was confirmed by Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson with the first estimate of damage released on Feb 20. Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ (FDACS) preliminary estimates of losses to Florida …
All In For Citrus Podcast, February 2026
Florida experienced one of the most damaging freezes in more than a decade this winter. The February episode of the All In For Citrus podcast addresses the impacts the freeze had on citrus. Michael Rogers, director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center, notes that it will take some time …
New Funding for CRAFT Emerging Varieties Program
The Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) Foundation recently provided information about a new funding opportunity for growers participating in the Emerging Varieties (EV) Program. CRAFT received additional funding from the Florida Department of Citrus, which will be used to reimburse growers for some of their costs associated with the royalties for five of the varieties included in the EV …
Congresswoman Cammack Hits the Road to Talk Farm Bill
More than two years after the 2018 farm bill expired, a new draft of the legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives on Feb. 13. That same day, Congresswoman Kat Cammack hit the road in Florida to host farm bill listening sessions in Alachua, Lake Wales and Clewiston. The House version of the bill is called the Farm, Food …
What’s New at the Georgia Citrus Association Annual Conference
The Georgia Citrus Association’s (GCA) annual conference is less than a week away. Georgia growers are encouraged to attend the Feb. 24 meeting and learn about various trends impacting the industry in the cold-hardy citrus region. The event takes place at the University of Georgia Tifton Campus Conference Center. Lindy Savelle, executive director of the Georgia Citrus Association and member …
Postfreeze Recovery Recommendations for Citrus Trees
Florida citrus growers hoping to expedite the recovery process for trees impacted by the late January/early February freeze event should pump the brakes and wait — at least until spring. That advice is from Muhammad Shahid, assistant professor of horticulture at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). He shared tree recovery recommendations with growers during …
Florida Citrus Show To Feature CRAFT Insights
The Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) Foundation has been a lifeline to Florida’s citrus industry in the battle against HLB. CRAFT’s programs provide incentives for new plantings and existing tree therapies in exchange for growers submitting data for those projects. In 2025, CRAFT received more than $100 million dollars from the state legislature to fund more cycles of the …
Planning Spring Snail Management
By Lauren M. Diepenbrock Many citrus growers in Florida have been impacted by Bulimulus bonariensis (previously referred to as Bulimulus sporadicus) since the first reports of this pest in groves in 2020. This snail is an ongoing challenge and, with funding from the Citrus Research and Development Foundation, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) has …
Psyllid Capture Rate Drops Again in Brazil
The average capture rate of psyllids in traps distributed across 23 regions of the citrus-growing area of São Paulo and the Southwest Minas Gerais Triangle in Brazil has fallen for the second consecutive year. The information provided by the Fundecitrus Psyllid Alert platform confirms a downward trend after the peak recorded in 2023. It indicates a scenario of lower pest …
Invaio and Fundecitrus Collaborate on HLB Solutions
Invaio Sciences, Inc. recently announced a collaboration with Fundecitrus (Fund for Citrus Protection), a research organization based in Araraquara, Brazil. The partnership aims to accelerate the development and evaluation of novel solutions — particularly peptide-based technologies — for controlling huanglongbing (HLB), also known as citrus greening disease. The collaboration combines Invaio’s Biologicals by Design™ platform and Fundecitrus’ expertise in grove …
Postfreeze Psyllid Populations Reduced
Southeast citrus growers hoping that the Feb. 1 freeze would wipe out the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) population are going to be disappointed. “What we do know about freezes is a lot of time they will reduce or delay the buildup of many of the populations of pests that we worry about,” said Lauren Diepenbrock, University of Florida Institute of …
CRDF Board Funds Plant Transformation Projects
In January, the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) board of directors took up several projects aimed at plant transformation to improve HLB disease resistance in plants. MANJUL DUTT The board voted to fund work by Manjul Dutt, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) assistant professor of horticultural sciences, to graft the most promising non-genetically modified …
Study Highlights Soil pH Role in Citrus Tree Health
A new study examines the critical role soil pH plays in determining citrus root development, nutrient absorption and overall tree health. It offers insights for growers facing declining production challenges due to biotic restraints such as HLB disease and abiotic stresses such as low or high soil pH. The study looks at citrus root morphology across a range of soil …
See the Seminar Program for the Florida Citrus Show
The Florida Citrus Show is just a month away, scheduled for March 12. The event will be held at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Indian River Research and Education Center and the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory in Fort Pierce. The seminar program offers a wealth of educational opportunities, and …





























