georgia

‘The Psyllids Will Like Georgia Just Fine’

Daniel Cooper Georgia, Psyllids

A California citrus leader believes Georgia will make an ideal home for the Asian citrus psyllid, which vectors the devastating huanglongbing (HLB) disease. “North of Florida, it is colder, and it’s certainly not as suitable a place as Florida is, but the psyllid is still going to be fine. The cold isn’t long enough here to knock the populations out,” …

georgia citrus association

Georgia Citrus Association Outlines Industry Initiatives

Daniel Cooper Georgia

The Georgia citrus industry has experienced a significant increase in production since it started more than 10 years ago. The Georgia Citrus Association (GCA) is taking steps to ensure continued expansion. During the GCA’s recent annual meeting in Tifton, association president Lindy Savelle spoke with AgNet Media and outlined her organization’s priorities on the heels of another harvest season. A …

hlb

HLB Could End Georgia’s Citrus Industry

Daniel Cooper Georgia, HLB Management

One California citrus leader believes Georgia should respond more aggressively to huanglongbing (HLB, also known as citrus greening) for the sake of the industry’s future in the state. Roger Smith, fourth-generation citrus producer and executive of AC Foods, spoke during the recent Georgia Citrus Association meeting in Tifton. He discussed the disease that devastated citrus production in Florida and could …

Georgia Citrus

Georgia Citrus Industry ‘Looking Forward’

Daniel Cooper Events, Georgia

The citrus industry has found footing in Georgia and needs continued support as this promising industry marches toward the future. Events like the Georgia Citrus Association annual meeting on Feb. 27 at the University of Georgia Tifton Campus Conference Center provided information tailored to protecting growers’ investments. “One of the things we wanted to do differently this year is remind …

Rootstocks Influence Cold-Hardiness of Georgia Tangos

Josh McGill Cold Hardy, freeze, Rootstocks

Since the Christmas freeze of 2022, University of Georgia Lowndes County Extension Coordinator Jake Price has been conducting cold-hardiness ratings to see how Georgia citrus varieties were influenced by their rootstocks. He focused on Tango performance in a recent report and declared US-1516 “the clear winner” in providing cold-hardiness. Since January of 2023, Price has conducted ratings on how much …

Season’s Expectations for Cold-Hardy Citrus

Josh McGill Cold Hardy, Production

High quality and low quantity are in store for this year’s cold-hardy citrus crop in eastern Alabama, southern Georgia and the Florida Panhandle. Too many natural disasters negated the volume of this year’s crop load, according to Lindy Savelle, president of the Georgia Citrus Association and member of the Georgia Citrus Commission. “We had a freeze, and then we had …

Early Reports: Citrus Fared Well in Idalia

Josh McGill Cold Hardy, hurricane

The cold-hardy citrus region endured another test of Mother Nature on Wednesday with Hurricane Idalia moving through the Southeast. One industry expert is optimistic that the area’s trees survived this latest challenge.  “I am happy to report that citrus in Georgia appears to have fared very well,” said grower Lindy Savelle, president of the Georgia Citrus Association and member of the …

requirements

Shipping Georgia Citrus to Florida

Josh McGill Georgia, Regulation, Shipping

The Georgia Citrus Association recently provided information for Georgia growers interested in shipping their citrus to Florida.  CHECK REGISTRATIONFlorida citrus packers should be registered with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) if they send fruit out of Florida. The packer should have already reached out to the Florida Citrus Health …

Biggest Need for Georgia Citrus Is Research

Josh McGill Georgia, Research

The Georgia Citrus Commission members have been selected to serve the state’s up-and-coming industry. Now it is time for those five individuals to determine the pathway for the industry to be successful for the foreseeable future. Commission member Lindy Savelle believes research is the key component in advancing the state’s citrus industry. She said that is why the Georgia Citrus …

Minimal Crop Expected in Cold-Hardy Citrus Region

Josh McGill Cold Hardy, freeze

Citrus harvests are just a few months away for growers in the cold-hardy citrus region of eastern Alabama, southern Georgia and the Florida Panhandle. Unfortunately, those harvests will be reduced to about 25% of the normal crop, according to industry leaders. The Christmas freeze event devastated this year’s crop in the region. Kim Jones, who grows and packs citrus in …

Georgia Citrus Growers Get Valuable Resources

Josh McGill Georgia

Since Georgia’s citrus industry is still in its infancy, leaders are determined to educate growers about the resources that are available to them. With help from Lindy Savelle, president of the Georgia Citrus Association, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently hosted an event to share many of those resources with growers. The meet-and-greet workshop took place July 12 at …

Important Issues for Georgia Citrus Growers

Josh McGill Georgia

The Georgia Citrus Association (GCA) recently announced several issues of importance to Georgia citrus growers: LAST CALL FOR COMMISSIONERSNominations for members of the Georgia Citrus Commission are due May 26 to the Georgia Department of Agriculture. The commission will help fund needs for the future of Georgia’s citrus industry. More information is available from Andy Harrison at andy.harrison@agr.georgia.gov. ACREAGE UPDATEGCA …

georgia citrus association

Growers Needed for Georgia Citrus Commission Board

Josh McGill Georgia

Growers interested in serving on the board of the Georgia Agricultural Commodity Commission for Citrus should send in their nominations by May 26. The newly established Georgia Citrus Commission seeks five farmers who will serve on the board. Qualified growers must have a minimum of 5 acres of trees and will commit to serving a 3-year term with the option …

Growers Learn About Citrus Roots

Josh McGill Root health

Florida researcher Ute Albrecht shared information about citrus tree roots at the recent Georgia Citrus Association annual conference. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) associate professor specializing in plant physiology discussed rootstocks and soils, suggested transplanting tips and touched briefly on freeze tolerance. Albrecht works at the UF/IFAS Southwest Florida Research and Education Center in …

Don’t Rush Freeze Recovery

Josh McGill freeze

Do not apply recovery techniques immediately after a freeze, cold-hardy citrus growers were advised after freezes hit their groves in December 2022 and January 2023. The best strategy is to wait to observe new growth until at least late spring, researcher Muhammad Shahid told the Georgia Citrus Association at its recent annual meeting. Shahid is a University of Florida Institute …

Freeze Had Greatest Impact on Young Trees

Josh McGill Cold Hardy, freeze

Lindy Savelle, president of the Georgia Citrus Association, and other industry leaders continue to preach to growers the need to diversify their crop portfolios. The Christmas freeze event that ravaged production in the Southeast last December should not be a deterrent for farmers hoping to produce citrus other than satsuma mandarins. Yes, non-satsuma citrus trees were impacted more by the …

Ambrosia Beetles a Concern Post-Freeze

Josh McGill freeze, Georgia, Pests

Researcher Apurba Barman recently reported that ambrosia beetles could be a potential concern following the December 2022 freeze event in the cold-hardy citrus region. Barman is an assistant professor of entomology with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences.  Ambrosia beetles are small insects that bore holes into stressed trees. While they have been seen attacking young …

Legislation Passes for Georgia Citrus Commission

Josh McGill Georgia, Legislative

Georgia citrus farmers and industry leaders scored a legislative victory on Monday when the state Senate overwhelmingly passed the proposal to start a Georgia Citrus Commission. The win for the industry will come when Gov. Brian Kemp signs it into law. The legislation states, “There shall be an Agricultural Commodity Commission for Citrus Fruits established on July 1, 2023.” The …

Cold Acclimation Helping Trees Rebound From Freeze

Josh McGill Cold Hardy, freeze

Trees in the Sweet Valley Citrus region are more acclimated to cold temperatures than those in Central and South Florida. That is a reason that Bill Barber, Certified Crop Adviser and owner of Barber Ag Services, believes citrus trees in North Florida, South Georgia and South Alabama have rebounded well following the Christmas freeze event. “I first thought the worst. …

Exciting Time for Georgia Citrus Industry

Josh McGill Georgia

The young, burgeoning Georgia citrus industry has its sights set on a bright future. Even in the midst of a challenging winter season with two major freeze events, the industry continues its upward trend, believes Lindy Savelle, president of the Georgia Citrus Association. She discussed the state of the Georgia citrus industry during the association’s annual meeting on Feb. 28 …