sapote

Sapote Fruit Fly Quarantines Established

Daniel CooperPests, Regulation, Texas

Three sapote fruit fly quarantines have been established in Texas by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA). Altogether, the quarantines encompass approximately 1,102 acres of commercial citrus. On Feb. 23, APHIS and TDA established one quarantine in Rio Hondo and another in Harlingen, Cameron County. They were …

citrus land transactions

Summary of 2025 Florida Citrus Land Transactions

Daniel CooperFlorida, Land, sales

According to Saunders Land’s annual Lay of the Land Market Report, there were 79 Florida citrus land transactions in 2025 totaling 20,352 acres. Pricing ranged from $3,936 to $56,003 per acre. The average price per acre was $13,788. Sales ranged in size from 9.81 acres to 4,633.47 acres. Notable large transactions included a 4,633.47-acre sale in Charlotte County for $41.9 …

production

Forecasts for European Union Citrus Production

Daniel CooperCrop Forecast, International

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) has issued 2025–26 production and trade forecasts for European Union (EU) citrus. TANGERINES/MANDARINS EU tangerine and mandarin production in 2025–26 is estimated at 2.794 million metric tons (MMT), down from the 2.97 MMT bumper crop in the previous season. After years of constant contraction, EU’s tangerine and mandarin area has …

Reports

BLT Reports: Did You Get That Memo?

Daniel CooperCEU

By Matt Smith Editor’s note: This article grants one continuing education unit (CEU) in the Core category toward the renewal of a Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) restricted-use pesticide license when the accompanying test is submitted and approved. People often wonder, what is the most timeless movie of all? I’ve heard several contenders. You probably have a …

industry

Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo: Bringing the Industry Together Year After Year

Daniel CooperCitrus Expo, Events

In an industry built on hard work and resilience, having a place to come together matters. The Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo offers exactly that, a space where growers and industry leaders connect, share and strengthen the relationships that drive agriculture forward. For many growers, the Expo has become a yearly tradition. It’s a time to reconnect with familiar faces, …

sales

Organic Sales, Including Citrus, on the Rise

Daniel CooperOrganic

U.S. sales of certified organic products accelerated in 2025, reaching $76.6 billion with an annual growth rate of 6.8%, according to the Organic Trade Association’s (OTA) 2026 Organic Market Report. In 2025, organic products grew at a fast pace, double that of the comparable marketplace growth of 3.4%. Organic citrus had an especially strong year, with sales climbing 18.1%. “For …

production

Europe’s Orange and OJ Production to Decline

Daniel CooperCrop Forecast, International

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) recently forecast European Union (EU) orange and orange juice (OJ) production and trade for 2025–26. ORANGES EU orange production is projected at just above 5.6 million metric tons (MMT), down from the 5.9 MMT orange crop in 2024–25. Orange production is the largest citrus category within the EU. Spain accounts …

global

Global Grapefruit and Lemon/Lime Projections

Daniel CooperCrop Forecast, International

A recent U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) report — Citrus: World Markets and Trade — included global fresh grapefruit and fresh lemon/lime projections for 2025–26.  GRAPEFRUIT UP Global fresh grapefruit production is forecast up 2% to 7 million tons on larger crops in China, the United States and the European Union (EU). China production is forecast …

Global

Global Tangerine/Mandarin Projections

Daniel CooperCrop Forecast, International, Mandarins

A recent U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) report — Citrus: World Markets and Trade — included global tangerine/mandarin projections for 2025–26.  Global fresh tangerine/mandarin production is forecast up less than 1% to 38.4 million tons. Larger crops in China, Turkey, Morocco, South Africa and Japan more than offset smaller European Union (EU) and U.S. harvests. Processing …

Florida Citrus Show

Last Chance to Preregister for the Florida Citrus Show

Daniel CooperEvents, FCS24, Florida Citrus Show

The Florida Citrus Show is just a week away. Preregistration for the event ends on Sunday, March 8. So, sign up now to skip the onsite registration process. The event is on March 12 at 8:00 a.m. 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 …

Citrus & Specialty

Register for the 2026 Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo

Daniel CooperCitrus Expo, Events

Registration is now open for the 2026 Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo, set for Aug. 12–13 at the waterfront Caloosa Sound Convention Center in downtown Fort Myers. The Expo has earned a reputation as a top event for commercial producers. The event brings together citrus and specialty crop growers, allied industry companies, researchers and industry leaders for two days of …

world

World Orange and Orange Juice Projections

Daniel CooperCrop Forecast, International

A recent U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA/FAS) report — Citrus: World Markets and Trade — included global fresh orange and orange juice projections for 2025–26. FRESH ORANGE Global fresh orange production is projected up slightly to 45.9 million tons on larger crops in Brazil and Egypt, more than offsetting decreased production in Turkey, the European Union and …

Florida Citrus Show

Earn Continuing Education Units at the Florida Citrus Show

Daniel CooperEvents, FCS24, 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 …

Congresswoman Cammack Hits the Road to Talk Farm Bill

Tacy CalliesCitrus, 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 …

New Specialty Crop Assistance Announced

Tacy Calliesfinancial, USDA

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced Feb. 13 it is providing $1 billion in funding for the Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers (ASCF) Program. The federal aid is for specialty crops and sugar. Those commodities were not covered through the previously announced Farmer Bridge Assistance program. Citrus is one of numerous ASCF-eligible specialty crops. See the full list of …

Mexfly

Another Mexfly Quarantine Established in Texas

Daniel CooperPests, Regulation

Federal and state agriculture officials on Jan. 26 established a Mexican fruit fly (Mexfly) quarantine in Granjeno, Hidalgo County, Texas, designated the Granjeno quarantine. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) took the action. APHIS and TDA established the Granjeno quarantine in response to the detection on Jan. …

See the Seminar Program for the Florida Citrus Show

Tacy CalliesCitrus, Events, FCS24, 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 …

Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo

Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo to Offer an Enhanced Experience

Daniel CooperCitrus Expo, Events

Mark your calendar for the 2026 Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo, set for Aug. 12–13. The event is returning with several upgrades designed to improve the experience for citrus and specialty crop growers, exhibitors and industry partners. EXCEPTIONAL LOCATION The 2026 Expo is relocating back to Fort Myers, Florida, but at a new location. The event will be held at …

Florida’s

Florida’s Replanting Era: What it Means for OJ Demand

Daniel CooperFlorida Department of Citrus, Orange Juice, planting

By Marisa Zansler Over the past year, there has been a discreet change occurring in the orange juice (OJ) aisle amid supply shortages. Some of the familiar OJ cartons have changed, not in name but in composition. With Florida’s smaller crop and limited global OJ supplies, Florida’s processors have stretched that limited supply by offering more products that blend OJ …

patent

Tango Mandarin’s Plant Patent Expires

Daniel CooperMandarins, Varieties

The University of California, Riverside (UCR), which developed the Tango mandarin in 2006, recently reflected on the variety’s success and noted that its patent has expired. Tango has generated more than $70 million in cumulative economic value for UCR. The virtually seedless, easy-peeling fruit has been marketed under brand names like Cuties and Halos. Now that Tango’s plant patent has …