FL Swine Flu Name Costly to Pork Industry

Randall Weiseman Florida, General, Livestock, Pork

Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles H. Bronson is asking public health officials, academics and the media to refrain from calling the current H1N1 influenza pandemic “swine flu” as the characterization is both inaccurate and contributing to the collapse of the pork industry throughout North America.

Commerce Dept. Will Not Add Citrovita to Citrus Dumping Order

Dan Citrus, Florida

The U.S. Commerce Department says it doesn’t have authority to add Brazilian citrus processor Citrovita to an existing 2006 anti-dumping order against several other Brazilian processors. Florida Citrus Mutual, which filed complaints against Citrovita, is contemplating its next move

Educational Programs Target Fresh Citrus Industry

Dan Citrus, Florida

Those involved in Florida’s fresh fruit industry are the target audience for 2 educational events this week – Packinghouse Day Thursday at Lake Alfred, and Indian River Postharvest Workshop Friday at Fort Pierce. Southeast AgNet’s Ernie Neff provides the basics in this report. Post sponsor: Copper coverage with Less Metallic Copper per acre.

Citrus Expo Speaker Tackles Industry Economics

Dan Citrus, Citrus Expo News, Florida

In the accompanying reports, University of Florida economist Allen Morris, who spoke at Citrus Expo, discusses huge production cost increases for growers, the break-even price for juice oranges, the impact of retail OJ prices on grower returns, and the need to fund both research and marketing efforts.

FL Commissioner’s Spotlight on the Emerald Ash Borer

Randall Weiseman FL Commissioner Report, Florida, Forestry, General

This week’s Commissioner’s Spotlight from Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson is warning about the potential threat to Florida’s ash trees from an insect called the emerald ash borer. The half-inch metallic green beetle has already killed millions of ash trees in eleven Midwestern and Mid-Atlantic states … as far south as Missouri, Virginia — and most recently — Kentucky. More …