Citrus Industry magazine continues its 2010 series of articles for growers to earn CEU credits by reading the articles in the magazine or online, then submitting the accompanying CEU test online. The third CEU article of the year, “Why Should Pesticide Applicators Care About Heat Stress?” (test period expires 9/1/2011), is now available online at http://citrusindustry.net/ceu3.html.
The University of Florida is now offering a Florida version of the website MarketMaker allowing farmers and seafood producers to set up profiles featuring details of their operation such as pictures and maps to allow buyers looking for specific products to find nearby producers.
TALLAHASSEE — Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles H. Bronson today announced that eradication has been declared in the Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) outbreak in Palm Beach County. Regulations have been lifted and fruit movement is no longer prohibited. Eradication is achieved when three life cycles of the Medfly (approximately 60 days) have passed without finding another wild Medfly.
U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio has announced a six-point plan to help the agricultural community. And Florida Farm Bureau National Affairs Coordinator, Adam Basford applauds him making a stance by declaring agriculture important to the state and says many of his ideas are ones that they and producers have been focused on for quite some time.
Now that the primaries are over voters can focus on the general election coming up November 2, 2010. In this report we asked the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services candidates, Scott Maddox and Adam Putnam, to give our listeners an overview of who they are and what they hope to accomplish if elected.
University of Florida researcher Bob Rouse says the successful use of nutritional sprays to keep HLB-infected trees productive is dependent on keeping the psyllids that spread HLB under control.
TALLAHASSEE — Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles H. Bronson today said two male Oriental fruit flies have been found in a trap in a grapefruit tree in the Pinellas County community of Safety Harbor. The flies (Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Tephritidae) were found during routine surveillance activities earlier this month conducted by the department’s Division of Plant Industry. Ernie Neff was able to talk with DPI’s Denise Feiber and has this report.
U.S. Department of Agriculture entomologist Wayne Hunter, based in Fort Pierce, is creating excitement in research circles with his promising work on a genetic based approach to controlling the psyllids that spread HLB. In the first of these reports, he describes how RNAi works. In the second, he discusses efforts to make it work in the grove and how soon it might be available to growers.
The Citrus Research and Development Foundation is studying the best way to absorb the Florida Citrus Industry Research Coordinating Council into the foundation. Foundation Chief Operating Officer Dan Gunter tells why the move is a good idea.
In these reports, University of Florida economist Ron Muraro reports the average cost of producing juice oranges in Florida, and the additional cost of using a foliar nutritional program for HLB control.
Citrus black spot, the new fungal disease found in Southwest Florida this year, was the focus of last week’s Packinghouse Day in Lake Alfred and Indian River Postharvest Workshop in Fort Pierce. Program coordinator Mark Ritenour tells why this is such an important issue for fresh fruit packers and shippers.
Florida Department of Citrus Director of Foodservice Vanessa Hodak in these reports tells how the department works with those who influence children’s eating habits – and the kids themselves – to encourage more citrus consumption.
São Paulo, Brazil, State Department of Agreiculture plant pathologist Eduardo Feichtenberger shared his citrus black spot expertise at Citrus Expo last week. He stayed this week to address Packinghouse Day and the Indian River Postharvest Workshop. He discusses chemical and cultural controls for the disease.
The Citrus Research and Development Foundation is considering advertising for and rewarding those submitting antibiotics that offer the best possibility of curing or controlling HLB. Foundation Chief Operating Officer Dan Gunter explains.
Shirley Sherrod, the former director of USDA’s Rural Development Program in Georgia, has accepted a personal apology from Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack for her wrongful firing. During a lengthy face to face meeting on Tuesday the Secretary formally offered Sherrod the position of deputy director of the office of Advocacy and Outreach, but Sherrod turned down the offer as she explains why.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told reporters yesterday the lessons he’s learned from this and what he’ll do in the future to prevent another firing like that of Shirley Sherrod.
The Citrus Research and Development Foundation appears poised to absorb the Florida Citrus Industry Research Coordinating Council, and some would like for the foundation to take over all industry research activities.
This farm utility vehicle has evolved. It’s not just for farming anymore. Everett Griner tells us how hard it is for a producer to find one for the farm.
Feature Commentary Tapping Rod Smith as her Lieutenant Governor running-mate, Alex Sink makes a strong agriculture statement about her candidacy for Florida’s top job. Sink herself is said to have grown up in an agricultural family, but Smith’s roots in Florida agriculture run deep, as do his roots in public service. Rod Smith is no newcomer to agriculture, or Florida politics. Some may recall that Smith ran for Governor himself four years ago after a few years in the Florida Senate, but got bumped in a very close primary race by a more liberal Democrat.
From an exclusive interview done via cell phone hookup with him this weekend, listen to Rod’s comments about his agriculture roots in Florida and what he feels he brings, agriculturally, to the Democratic ticket as Alex Sink’s pick for Lieutenant Governor. And if you want to know more about this guy who I have known for a lifetime, read on after you listen to these interview cuts. Some parts of the story may surprise you. Read the rest of this entry »
In perhaps his last chance to address numerous citrus growers at one place, Commissioner of Agriculture Charles Bronson last week thanked them for their support and said his department continues to work on their behalf on numerous fronts.
A top USDA administrator last week saw what Congressman Adam Putnam in this report calls “the three horsemen of the apocalypse” threatening Florida citrus. Florida Citrus Mutual’s Andrew Meadows also discusses the tour.
The National Ag Statistics Service will release their first citrus numbers of the year on October 8, 2010 and Florida State Director, Jeff Geuder, says they are busy working on the official numbers as some work is already completed.
Retired Purdue University plant pathologist Don Huber says he’s seen enough evidence already that proper nutrition can really help HLB-infected trees that were once in very bad shape.
University of Florida scientist/economist Allen Morris told growers at Citrus Expo last week when it makes economic sense to adopt a foliar nutrition program for HLB management.
U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio has announced a six-point plan to help the agricultural community. And Florida Farm Bureau National Affairs Coordinator, Adam Basford applauds him making a stance by declaring agriculture important to the state and says many of his ideas are ones that they and producers have been focused on for quite some time.
Now that the primaries are over voters can focus on the general election coming up November 2, 2010. In this report we asked the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services candidates, Scott Maddox and Adam Putnam, to give our listeners an overview of who they are and what they hope to accomplish if elected. 
The flies (Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Tephritidae) were found during routine surveillance activities earlier this month conducted by the department’s Division of Plant Industry. Ernie Neff was able to talk with DPI’s Denise Feiber and has this report.
Shirley Sherrod, the former director of USDA’s Rural Development Program in Georgia, has accepted a personal apology from Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack for her wrongful firing. During a lengthy face to face meeting on Tuesday the Secretary formally offered Sherrod the position of deputy director of the office of Advocacy and Outreach, but Sherrod turned down the offer as she explains why.
Tapping Rod Smith as her Lieutenant Governor running-mate, Alex Sink makes a strong agriculture statement about 
her candidacy for Florida’s top job. Sink herself is said to have grown up in an agricultural family, but Smith’s roots in Florida agriculture run deep, as do his roots in public service. Rod Smith is no newcomer to agriculture, or Florida politics. Some may recall that Smith ran for Governor himself four years ago after a few years in the Florida Senate, but got bumped in a very close primary race by a more liberal Democrat.
The National Ag Statistics Service will release their first citrus numbers of the year on October 8, 2010 and Florida State Director, Jeff Geuder, says they are busy working on the official numbers as some work is already completed.
