Costa Rica Orange Production to Rebound

Ernie NeffInternational

Costa Rica’s orange production is expected to rebound to 300,000 metric tons in the 2021-2022 season, pushing total orange juice exports slightly higher to 33,000 metric tons. That estimate was issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service in December. Orange production in Costa Rica was 290,000 metric tons in 2020-21 and 285,000 metric tons in 2019-20.     …

Big Dips in California Navel and Mandarin Forecasts

Len WilcoxCalifornia Corner, Crop Forecast

The California Citrus Mutual (CCM) Marketing Committee estimates that the total navel orange crop for the 2021-22 season will be down 20% from the previous season’s final utilized, or sold, production. The committee also estimates that the mandarin crop will be down as much as 45% from the 2020-2021 season. According to the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s 2021-22 California …

Educational Videos on Cover Crops

Tacy CalliesCalifornia Corner, Cover Crops

Cover crops, typically planted in the early fall, deliver a host of agricultural and conservation benefits. Citrus growers have found that cover crops reduce water demand, thus saving substantial irrigation costs. In addition, cover crops provide support to beneficial insects, which help reduce pesticide requirements. In partnership with the Contra Costa County Resource Conservation District, two University of California Cooperative …

Port Problems Plague Producers

Tacy CalliesCalifornia Corner, Shipping

The ongoing supply-chain crisis is a big headache to businesses and consumers alike, with no end in sight for the immediate future. Perishable products are particularly at risk, as even a week or two delay can affect product quality. The port delays that caused the supply-chain crisis began on the West Coast with labor shortages due to the pandemic. These …

Incorporating Newer Tools in Resets

Tacy CalliesProduction

By Lauren M. Diepenbrock Maintaining a productive citrus grove in Florida takes a lot of effort and innovation these days. So much so that growers’ needs can outpace the timeline of the researchers who support this industry. As such, growers often move forward with promising ideas or tools before researchers can provide useful recommendations toward successfully incorporating these tools. The …

Texas Researchers to Lead HLB Project

Ernie NeffHLB Management, Research

Scientists from Texas A&M AgriLife Research will lead a public-private collaboration across Texas, Florida, California and Indiana to advance new, environmentally friendly and commercially viable HLB control strategies. The $7 million, four-year AgriLife Research project is part of an $11 million suite of grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture. In addition to Texas …

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Legislators Want Grapefruit Decision Reversed

Ernie NeffGrapefruit, Legislative

Members of the Florida and Texas congressional delegations recently urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to reverse its decision to administratively suspend juice content standards for imported grapefruit. The delegations also requested information regarding the circumstances of the suspension, which was allegedly made without a proper rulemaking process, and for which Congress was not notified. The request was led by …

Florida Citrus Packers

Citrus Hall of Fame Names New Inductees

Ernie NeffAwards

George F. Hamner Jr., of Vero Beach, and the late A. Tillis Edwards Jr. and Edward A. Taylor, both of Lakeland, will be inducted into the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame in 2022. The inductions will take place during a Citrus Celebration Luncheon scheduled for Oct. 14 at Florida Southern College in Lakeland. A. TILLIS EDWARDS JR. Edwards was a …

Seeking Psyllid Controls for Organic Citrus

Tacy CalliesOrganic, Psyllids

At the recent California Citrus Conference held in Visalia, Monique Rivera, assistant cooperative Extension specialist at University of California Riverside, presented information about management of Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) in organic citrus grown in the San Joaquin Valley. “There is consumer demand that needs to be met for organic citrus,” Rivera said. “So there is a quick transition in the …

HLB-Tolerant Tree Among CRDF Topics

Tacy CalliesCRDF

Research proposals and a newly discovered tree that shows tolerance to HLB were among the topics discussed at the Dec. 7 Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) board of directors meeting. Rick Dantzler, CRDF chief operating officer, provided a summary of actions taken at the meeting. OFFICERS AND DIRECTORSCRDF officers for the next two years were determined. Rob Atchley will …

Citrus Flower Bud Advisories Resume

Tacy CalliesIndustry News Release

The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is providing growers with regular flower bud advisories as the critical time for citrus grove management begins this winter. UF/IFAS associate professor Tripti Vashisth restarted the advisories Dec. 2 and will continue providing them every other week through the spring. The advisories provide critical information about the intensity and …

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Florida Citrus Mutual Names Next CEO

Tacy CalliesFlorida Citrus Mutual

The Florida Citrus Mutual (FCM) board of directors has announced that G. Mathew “Matt” Joyner has been selected to serve as the chief executive officer and executive vice president (CEO/EVP) of the organization effective April 1, 2022. “Matt brings a unique perspective and skill set to Florida Citrus Mutual having worked side-by-side with both legislators in the halls of Congress …

alico

Florida Citrus Company Says Production Down, Prices Up

Daniel CooperIndustry News Release

Florida citrus company and landowner Alico, Inc. saw harvested boxes of fruit decrease during the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30 but got a boost from higher prices linked to consumer demand for orange juice. The company reported this in federal Securities and Exchange Commission filings released Tuesday. Alico said it harvested 6.4 million boxes of fruit during the year, …

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Agricultural Water Use Changes Proposed

Tacy CalliesRegulation, Water

Taylor Langford O’Bannon, food safety Extension agent for the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), shared information on the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) proposed changes to the Food Safety Modernization Act’s Produce Safety Rule. The changes pertain specifically to Subpart E (Agricultural Water). “The proposed changes, if finalized, will replace the pre-harvest microbial quality criteria and …

Field Day to Feature GA and Nutrition Trials

Ernie NeffNutrition

Growers will have the opportunity to learn more about recent citrus research trials on nutrition and gibberellic acid (GA) and their impact on tree health. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension Polk County will host a field day on Dec. 14 to share research findings with growers. The field tours will begin with an overview …

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Medfly Quarantine in Southern California

Len WilcoxCalifornia Corner, Pests

A portion of San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties have been placed under quarantine for the Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) following the detection of two wild flies in and around the city of Upland in San Bernardino County. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), and the San Bernardino and Los Angeles county agricultural …

Pummelo Interstocks Could Improve Performance of HLB Trees

Tacy CalliesResearch

By Manjul Dutt, Ethan Nielsen, Lamiaa Mahmoud, Maria Quirico and Jude Grosser All commercially cultivated citrus scion varieties are grafted onto rootstocks before being planted in the field. The rootstocks are selected based on specific desirable qualities (abiotic/biotic stress resistance) and the ability to produce a good crop in a specific location. The ideal rootstock confers disease resistance, hardiness, tolerance …

Scout for Problems, Even in CUPS

Ernie NeffCUPS, Pests

Growers should monitor for pests and diseases, even in the citrus under protective screen (CUPS) systems designed to keep HLB-spreading psyllids out of trees, according to entomologist Jawwad Qureshi. He told more than 25 people participating in a Dec. 1 virtual seminar that CUPS “are not foolproof systems,” and said citrus can’t be grown successfully without pest management. Qureshi works …

How to Own Your Data and Profit From It

Ernie NeffAgriculture

With the rapid development of artificial intelligence, data derived from farms might be more valuable than the crops growers produce. That’s because farmers can make money from their information when companies use it for other purposes, says a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) scientist. The key for producers is to take ownership of their information. …

Douglas Plant Health Is Now DPH Biologicals™

Tacy CalliesIndustry News Release

Douglas Plant Health announced it has changed its name to DPH Biologicals. The new name recognizes the century-long commitment of its parent company, Douglas Products, to deliver effective and high-quality products to its customers while more clearly focusing on expanding its biologicals product platform to deliver value to customers by sustainably increasing productivity, yield and profitability. In 2018, the assets …