field hearings

Exploring the Economic Impact of California’s Citrus Industry

Daniel Cooper Citrus

The California citrus industry is valued at nearly $3.5 billion with over 3,000 growers farming 320,000 acres throughout the state. The size and scale of citrus production has both direct and indirect effects on California’s overall economy. “If you think about primary production, which citrus is, it requires that the citrus growers buy what’s called ‘intermediate inputs’ or inputs from …

acp

Researching Scouting Strategies for ACP

Daniel Cooper Citrus, Psyllids

Several research projects continue at University of California Riverside to evaluate strategies for better detection of Asian citrus psyllid (ACP). Monique Rivera, assistant cooperative Extension specialist, is looking into something referred to as the ‘edge effect’ and how it pertains to ACP control. “The ‘edge effect’ is basically an ecological term that we’re using in the context of Asian citrus …

California Industry Updates Presented at Spring Citrus Meeting

Daniel Cooper Citrus Greening, Diseases

By Brian German The Spring Citrus Meeting held last week in Tulare County touched on several major issues growers are concerned with, and included presentations on best practices for managing citrus trees. The day began with important information related to Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) and the disease it causes, huanglongbing (HLB), which has been growing at an alarming rate in …

Study Shows Economic Impact of Citrus in California

Len Wilcox California Corner

The total economic impact of California’s citrus industry is $7.117 billion according to a new study commissioned by the Citrus Research Board (CRB). “In updating our economic analysis, we selected a well-known expert, Bruce Babcock, Ph.D., a professor in the School of Public Policy at the University of California, Riverside, to conduct the research. His findings quantified the significant impact …

University of California Scientists Identify New Citrus Disease

Len Wilcox California Corner

A new disease of citrus has been found in the Central Valley of California. According to a report published in the University of California’s (UC) Topics in Subtropics newsletter, several growers and nurserymen in various orchards in the Central Valley first noticed the disease in 2013. Symptoms include leaf chlorosis, crown thinning, gumming, dieback, and in severe cases, death of …

orange

Florida Citrus Crop Forecast: Oranges Down; Grapefruit Holds Steady

Daniel Cooper Crop Forecast

As of Dec. 12, the 2017-2018 Florida all-orange forecast released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture is 46 million boxes. This figure is down 8 percent from the November forecast. If realized, this forecast will be 33 percent less than last season’s production and the least since the 1944-1945 season of 42.2 million boxes. The forecast consists of 19 million …

citrus

Florida Citrus Harvest Lowest in Decades

Daniel Cooper Citrus, Crop Forecast, Industry News Release

by Jim Turner, News Service of Florida The final forecast of the 2016-2017 season for Florida’s struggling citrus industry shows the orange crop falling 16 percent from the previous season — which, itself, had been at a five-decades low. And after a season of severe drought, combined with the continued fight against a deadly citrus disease and the expansion of …

citrus crop forecast

Final U.S. Citrus Crop Forecast Down 17 Percent from Last Season

Daniel Cooper Citrus, Crop Forecast

Candi Erick, the agricultural statistics administrator with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Florida Agricultural Statistics Service, reports the final citrus crop forecast of the 2016-17 season. The United States all-orange forecast for the 2016-2017 season is down 2 percent from last month and down 17 percent from last season’s final utilization. The 2016-2017 Florida all-orange forecast released …