Florida Citrus Marketing Order Amended

Tacy CalliesCAC, Florida, Marketing

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is amending the Florida Citrus Marketing Order for fresh citrus to reduce membership of the Florida Citrus Administrative Committee (CAC) and to update quorum requirements. Other amendments to the marketing order include: CAC recommended these changes to help fulfill membership and quorum requirements and ensure a more efficient and orderly flow of business. Authority …

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USDA Funds Three Georgia Citrus Projects

Josh McGillGeorgia, Research

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service (USDA AMS) funded three citrus projects in Georgia for fiscal year 2023. SATSUMA EDUCATIONThe Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) received $103,225 for a satsuma education project. GDA will partner with local farmers and produce distributors to increase the availability of Georgia-grown satsuma mandarins in retail locations. The project will work closely with …

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Florida Growers Vote to Amend Federal Marketing Order

Josh McGillFlorida, Marketing, Regulation

Florida citrus producers voted to amend the federal marketing order regulating the handling of oranges, grapefruit, tangerines and pummelos grown in Florida, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on Aug. 29. In a referendum held April 1–May1, all amendments met the requirement of being favored by two-thirds of the producers voting or by two-thirds of the volume represented. The …

California and Arizona Citrus Projects Funded

Josh McGillCalifornia Corner, Research

The California and Arizona departments of agriculture received funding for four citrus-related projects from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) for 2023. Nationwide, USDA AMS allocated $72.9 million in Specialty Crop Block Grant Program funding. DROUGHT-TOLERANT VARIETIESThe California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) received $499,921 for designing drought-tolerant specialty crops using metabolic modeling. The University …

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Florida Growers to Vote on Marketing Order Amendments

Josh McGillMarketing, Regulation

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will conduct a referendum April 3–May 1 on proposed amendments to the federal marketing order regulating the handling of oranges, grapefruit, tangerines and pummelos grown in Florida. Notice of the referendum was published in the Federal Register on Jan. 18, 2023. The proposed amendments would include reducing the size and quorum requirements of the …

USDA Buying $20 Million of Fresh Mandarins

Josh McGillCalifornia Corner, Mandarins

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will purchase up to $20 million of fresh mandarins and tangerines for distribution to food banks, schools and other non-conventional markets. According to California Citrus Mutual (CCM), this is the first time USDA has made such a purchase under authority of Section 32 of the Agricultural Adjustment Act Amendment of 1935. The purpose of …