Twenty commercial farms in 12 Florida counties have been selected to conduct on-farm hemp trials. The trials will be part of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Industrial Hemp Pilot Project. The farms are in different agricultural regions to provide a variety of conditions to study the growth and success of the crop across the …
Video in Spanish on HLB Best Practices
The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), through its Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Program, has developed a mobile-friendly, Spanish-language training video. It’s for use by field crew supervisors and farm labor contractors prior to harvest. The new tool trains industry managers and workers, including field crews, with best practices to prevent the spread of the Asian citrus psyllid …
Coming Attraction: Florida Finger Limes
Sweet oranges. Ruby red grapefruit. Sugar Belle mandarins. When one thinks of Florida citrus, these fruits immediately come to mind. But finger limes? A University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researcher believes that finger limes may be the next food trend that will continue to fortify Florida’s role as a citrus producer for the world. Manjul …
Irrigation Scheduling Methods Affect Water Use
By Sandra M. Guzman and Rhuanito S. Ferrarezi Irrigation scheduling has been one of the most important management practices to improve crop production. For citrus, there are multiple options to schedule irrigation, including evapotranspiration-, plant- and soil-based methods. These methods can provide different water requirement estimates based on environmental variables, plant uptake or water content in the soil. Although each …
Coronavirus Food Assistance Program: Grower Update
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) will provide direct payments to growers and grower-shippers of fresh produce for demonstrated losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The program was announced by Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue on April 17. See initial information about the program here. Updated information was provided by the USDA recently. Program details and …
Lemons Hit Hard by COVID-19 Losses
Lemon growers are seeing good production this year, but the market for choice lemons has been ruined by COVID-19 food-service industry losses. “We’ve seen 20 to 25 percent decrease in fruit movement, and that’s mainly attributable to the decline in the food-service industry,” according to Ventura County lemon grower Will Pidduck. Ironically, it is otherwise a good year for lemons …
Australia: Don’t Downgrade Juice Health Rating
Citrus Australia, representing the nation’s citrus growers, has urged the federal government to reject proposed changes that could have 100 percent juice rated the same as diet cola on a health scale. Under proposed guideline revisions, the Health Star Rating (HSR) for fresh juice with no added sugar will fall from 5 stars to as low as 2.5 stars. The …
FDOC Shifts Money to Marketing
Florida Department of Citrus money unused because of the coronavirus pandemic will be directed toward increasing orange juice sales, as projections of this season’s citrus production have declined. The Florida Citrus Commission agreed Tuesday to add $277,000 to an ongoing digital ad campaign, with most of the money coming from employee travel plans that were halted because of the deadly …
Extension Agent Ajia Paolillo on the Job
Ajia Paolillo recently succeeded Steve Futch as the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) citrus Extension agent for DeSoto, Hardee and Manatee counties. COVID-19 social distancing measures have been keeping her out of the field. But she emphasizes that she is “still working and definitely available to help with any problems (growers) have, any questions, any …
Report Calls for Water Reforms to Avert Crisis
California citrus growers may soon face even more water hardships, according to a report by University of California, Berkeley economists David Sunding and David Roland-Holst. The report shows that the lack of responsible, balanced water reforms will lead to the loss of up to 20 percent of today’s working farms. According to data released by California State Assemblyman Jim Patterson, …
How to Keep Your Irrigation System Properly Maintained
By Davie Kadyampakeni and Arnold Schumann Irrigation system maintenance is critical for proper and efficient delivery of water in citrus and other irrigated crops. A well maintained and functional irrigation system will deliver the required amounts of water to the root zone when needed and help growers optimize crop production. If an irrigation system is not working optimally, crops can …
Citrus Scientist Succeeds at Working From Home
University of Florida scientist Christopher Vincent is used to working with the unknown to learn new grove management practices. As a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences plant physiologist, Vincent works to discover how citrus trees can thrive under stressful conditions. Now, during the coronavirus stay-at-home recommendations, he’s applying those skills in a whole new experience — …
Nutrients for the Grove: A Nurseryman’s Tips
By Aaron Himrod Good nursery growers are constantly monitoring their nutrition levels to produce well-nourished plants. While a grove owner cannot employ the same intensity of nutritional control as in an enclosed structure with consistent plant media, the principles apply in the field just as much in the nursery. A steady supply of comprehensive nutrition in the appropriate balance is needed …
Growing Matters: Label Rate and Applicator Training Importance
Using the exact label rate for products is vital for growers and applicators. The BeSure campaign from the Growing Matters Coalition is reminding the industry that not doing so can lead to ineffective treatments and even pesticide resistance. University of Florida Assistant Professor of Agronomy Brett Bultemeier emphasizes the importance of strictly adhering to the product label and proper application …
Major OJ Purchase Coming Soon From USDA
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) food purchases to come this summer will include $25 million worth of orange juice (OJ). Florida Citrus Mutual CEO Mike Sparks said “the vast majority” of the OJ will come from Florida. “It’s going to be NFC (not from concentrate) and FCOJ (frozen concentrated orange juice),” he said. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced …
COVID-19 Agriculture Loans Available
The Small Business Administration (SBA) on May 4 announced that agricultural businesses are now eligible for SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and EIDL Advance programs. The loan availability is a result of funding authorized by Congress through the Paycheck Protection Program and Healthcare Enhancement Act. The legislation, signed into law by President Donald Trump, provides additional funding for farmers …
Payne on Past, Present and Future of Florida Citrus
Jack Payne, head of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), looks at the past, present and future of Florida citrus. He has been in the role of senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources since 2010 and is slated to retire on July 1. “Of course, citrus is the iconic industry in Florida,” which …
Yoho: Halt Imports From Mexico and Beyond
Florida Congressman Ted Yoho on April 28 asked President Donald Trump to temporarily halt imports of all Mexican, Central American and South American food products. He cited “unprecedented circumstances due to the coronavirus pandemic” in asking the President to invoke a force majeure motion to stop the importation. Force majeure is defined as an event that can’t be anticipated or …
Diversifying Income on Citrus Farms
By Sarah Bostick Citrus growers are finding the need to diversify their marketing channels to stay competitive. Consumers are increasingly interested in learning about where their food comes from. It can be good business to diversify into markets designed to capture the attention of these consumers. CONNECTING WITH CONSUMERSTim and Hiedi Brown are third-generation owners of Brown’s Grove in Sarasota …
California Lawsuit Over Water for Farmers
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has filed a lawsuit to stop the federal government from increasing water deliveries to California farmers, including growers in the citrus regions of Central and Southern California. The increased deliveries are needed to comply with new state requirements to improve groundwater recharge efforts. The increased deliveries came about by changes in biological opinions. Biological opinions are …