trade

Ag Groups Ask for Fair and Balanced Trade

Daniel CooperTrade

A coalition of fresh fruit and vegetable organizations from California, Florida, Georgia, Michigan and Texas on June 2 asked U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer for a managed approach to import volumes. Their letter to Greer sought that managed approach “particularly during the domestic marketing seasons when the timing of foreign competition is itself the injury.” Citrus-specific associations signing the letter …

HLB

How HLB Research Has Evolved

Daniel CooperHLB Management, International, Research

Huanglongbing (HLB, or citrus greening) disease has been the focus of an enormous amount of scientific research over the past two decades. A new study — “Bibliometric Mapping of Citrus Greening Disease Reflecting Trends, Shifts and Focus Areas” — takes a unique look at that research. It analyzes thousands of scientific publications to identify where scientists have concentrated their efforts …

Florida Citrus

Honors Bestowed at Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference

Daniel CooperAwards, Events, Florida

During the Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference, Ned Hancock was presented with the Citrus Achievement Award trophy during a special ceremony at the event’s industry luncheon. Hancock was selected as this year’s winner for his years of dedicated service to the industry and optimism that the industry will overcome HLB and other challenges. In his acceptance speech, Hancock spent much …

guide

Explore the 2026 Citrus Variety Guide

Daniel CooperRootstocks, Tip of the Week, Varieties

By Jamie Burrow and Tripti Vashisth If you haven’t had a chance yet, take a few minutes to explore the new 2026 University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Variety Guide. You’ll find it beginning on page 21 of the April 2026 issue of the UF/IFAS Citrus Magazine. WHAT IT INCLUDES This guide is designed to …

A Land Remembered

‘A Land Remembered’ TV Series Producer To Speak at Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo

Daniel CooperCitrus Expo, Events

For many Florida farmers and ranchers, “A Land Remembered” is a treasured piece of historical fiction. The novel chronicles the lives of three generations of the MacIvey family in Florida from the 1850s to the 1960s. There has been a lot of buzz about a new TV series that is being made based on the book. Todd Wiseman Jr., who …

Hancock

Hancock Honored With Citrus Achievement Award

Daniel CooperAwards

Some of Ned Hancock’s earliest memories illustrate what set him on the path to become a citrus grower. His grandfather would pick him up on Saturdays with some tasks to complete in the groves. Then his father awakened his entrepreneurial spirit in his early teens. “My dad had bought a piece of land that had some old seedling orange trees,” …

gibberellic acid

Gibberellic Acid Has Multiple Uses in California Citrus

Daniel CooperCalifornia Corner, PGRs

There are numerous preharvest and postharvest uses of gibberellic acid (GA) in California citrus, a University of California Riverside Extension subtropical horticulturist reported during a June 9 webinar. Mary Lu Arpaia’s GA discussion was a major portion of her broader topic of plant growth regulators in California citrus. Her presentation was part of the Citrus Research Board Webinar Series. WHAT …

agriculture

Agriculture Victories in Florida Budget

Daniel CooperAgriculture, financial, Florida

Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson on June 2 highlighted the major agriculture victories included in the Florida Legislature’s 2026–27 state budget. CITRUS INDUSTRY Florida’s citrus industry received $196 million to support research, cost-share for equipment and infrastructure improvements at citrus nurseries and packinghouses, and the production and increased availability of healthy citrus rootstock. “Florida’s citrus industry remains resilient because …

natural

Boost Natural Defenses Against Psyllids in Summer

Daniel CooperBiologicals, Psyllids, Tip of the Week

By Lukasz Stelinski As summer takes hold in June, Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) populations are often high coinciding with availability of new flush. This is also a time when natural enemies can provide meaningful ACP suppression. Growers can improve biological control by making management decisions that help predators and parasitoids survive and function in the grove. MANAGE ANTS One important …

Take Advantage of Rising Temperatures to Treat for Fire Ants

Morgan ColeSponsored Content

Fire ants can quickly become a serious problem for landowners, producers, large-scale operations, and more. These aggressive invaders pose risks to livestock, people, equipment, and crops, building underground colonies that can thrive and expand if left unchecked. That’s why incorporating a spring fire ant treatment plan is key to sustaining control. Rising temperatures signal a seasonal shift, and an ideal …

years

Three Years of OTC Trunk Injection Provide Cumulative Benefits

Daniel CooperHLB Management, Research

By Ute Albrecht, Gabriel Pugina and Larissa Nunes According to a recent industry survey, 64% of Florida citrus growers have injected their trees for three consecutive years with oxytetracycline (OTC). This article reports the results from three research trials conducted by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Plant Physiology Team at the Southwest Florida Research …

Steven Hall

What’s Next for CRAFT: A Q&A With Steven Hall

Daniel CooperCRAFT

The Florida Legislature this year mandated the merger of two major Florida citrus research organizations: the Citrus Research and Field Trial Foundation (CRAFT) and the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF). CRAFT Executive Director Steven Hall recently answered questions about the merger.   Q: What are the steps and timeframe for the merger? A: The legislation requiring the merger specifies that …

rootstocks

Rootstocks May Hold Key to Boosting Citrus Fruit Nutrition

Daniel CooperNutrition, Rootstocks

When citrus growers select a rootstock, they typically focus on traits such as tree vigor, yield potential, disease tolerance and adaptation to soil conditions. New research suggests there may be another important factor to consider: the nutritional quality of the fruit. A recent study in India found that rootstocks can significantly influence the mineral nutrient content of citrus fruit. The …

Florida freeze

Legislators Seek $3.5 Billion for Florida Freeze Assistance

Daniel Cooperfreeze, Legislative

U.S. Senators Rick Scott and Ashley Moody of Florida on June 2 introduced the Florida Freeze Disaster Assistance Act. Congressman Scott Franklin of Florida is leading the bill in the U.S. House of Representatives. This past winter, Florida’s agricultural producers faced consecutive weeks of subzero temperatures during the state’s peak citrus, berry and corn-growing season, amounting to more than $3 …

climate change

Climate Change Is Changing Citrus Nutrition

Daniel CooperNutrition, Weather

Climate change is creating new challenges for citrus growers, and one of the biggest impacts is on tree nutrition. According to a recent article in Frontiers in Plant Science authored by an international team of researchers, rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, drought, flooding, salinity and elevated carbon dioxide levels are all affecting how citrus trees take up and use nutrients. …

funds

FDOC Discusses How Best to Spend State Funds

Daniel CooperFlorida Department of Citrus, Marketing

The Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) met virtually on May 29 to allocate legislatively authorized state general revenue funds for Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) marketing. The FCC, whose members are appointed by Florida’s governor, is the board that oversees the FDOC.  After the FCC previously met on May 20, the Florida Legislature concluded its work on a budget that designates …

leaf

Leaf Quantity Matters for Fruit Quality

Daniel CooperProduction, Tip of the Week

By Tripti Vashisth, Taylor Livingston, Meryam Manzoor and Johann Hiller Citrus fruit quality and yield remain major concerns for sweet orange growers in the huanglongbing (HLB) era. These outcomes largely depend on the tree’s ability to support developing fruit throughout the growing season. Leaf area and canopy density are positively correlated with carbohydrate production and allocation to fruit, directly influencing …

specialty crops

Florida Citrus Payment Details for Specialty Crop Assistance Program

Daniel Cooperfinancial, USDA

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on May 29 announced payment rates and the enrollment period for the Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers (ASCF) Program. The USDA will issue $1.625 billion in payments to eligible specialty crop producers in response to elevated input costs and market disruptions resulting from foreign competitors engaging in unfair trade practices that impeded specialty crop …

Florida Allocates Almost $200 Million for Citrus Recovery

Daniel Cooperfinancial, Research

The Florida Legislature on May 29 approved nearly $196 million as part of the 2026–27 fiscal year budget to accelerate the recovery of Florida’s citrus industry. The expenditure includes $160 million for the Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) Foundation to expand field trials and support new plantings. It also provides $4.5 million to advance basic research through the Citrus Research and …

right

The Right Man for the Job

Daniel CooperCRAFT

By J. Scott Angle, jangle@ufl.edu, @IFAS_VP Steven Hall is the right guy to run a single state-supported citrus research organization. He is an agriculturalist as well as an administrator and attorney. He is a sixth-generation Florida farmer who leads his family farming operation in Jackson County. Since Hall was appointed executive director of the Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) …