Everett Griner explains just what is going on with the world-wide wine consumption.
Newly proposed fresh citrus shipping rules from USDA, if approved, would re-open other citrus producing states for Florida fruit. Grower/Packer/Shipper Dan Richey of Riverfront Groves & Packing in Vero Beach says a critical element toward these rule proposals was a scientific study headed by USDA. Hear more in these reports.
Results of a recent referendum among fresh Florida citrus growers have been published by USDA. According to the results, ‘fresh’ growers voted to give the Citrus Administrative Committee authority to establish federal research and/or promotion programs for ‘fresh’ Florida citrus. Learn more about it and find out how this may impact Department of Citrus programs for fresh citrus, in these two reports.
Today Everett Griner explains just how more help is needed from everybody.
The group administering Florida’s fresh fruit marketing order has made efforts to increase the diversity of its membership, and has done so over the years. Citrus Administrative Committee (CAC) manager Duke Chadwell (photo) tells about the group’s diversity and how anyone interested in serving on the committee can contact him.
A recent statewide quarantine of Georgia citrus trees and products brings home the need to control a disease that could threaten the US citrus industry. These reports provided by USDA Radio’s Rod Bain feature comments from Pat Gomes of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
CLICK HERE to view a PDF copy of the June newsletter from the Citrus Health Response Program.
Here is the information on the Fall 2009 Class lineup at University of Florida’s Citrus Research and Education Center at Lake Alfred, FL.
In this follow up story about newly proposed fresh citrus shipping rules published this week by USDA, comments by Florida Citrus Packers’ Association’s Richard Kinney (photo). Now a 60-day comment period gets underway. Interested parties are asked to offer their views about the proposed rules. To read and hear more about this in previous reports here at Southeast AgNet, CLICK HERE.
Lots of communications about the newly proposed fresh citrus shipping rules from USDA kicked off the week. First, here are a couple of update reports on this issue featuring Richard Kinney of Florida Citrus Packers Association (photo left), who spoke to Southeast AgNet’s Ernie Neff in detail about the proposed rules.
Now, here below is a summary preview of the new proposed fresh citrus shipping rules that are expected to be officially published Tuesday June 30, 2009 in the Federal Register. Once published a 60-day public comment period will begin. Read the rest of this entry »
No News is still no news. Everett Griner gives us the details.
When Citrus Commissioners decided this month to pursue ONLY research in a Federal Order and not include marketing funding as part of the effort, it left some asking ‘Why not marketing too?” Answering that question in this report is Citrus Commissioner Bob Behr. He is with Florida’s Natural Growers and he heads up the committee of the Commission that spent lots of time studying this issue leading up to the Commission’s vote on the matter.
As of late today there has still been no official word out of USDA/APHIS about the proposed fresh citrus shipping rules for next season, but lots of folks are now saying it should be published any moment now. Once the rule is published a public comment period will begin. Beyond that USDA will make its final determination. Dan Richey of Riverfront Groves & Packing in Vero Beach has been immersed in the process for a very long time. Hear some of his comments about the process in this report.
Palm Beach County Farm Bureau is inviting its members and other Farm Bureau leaders and members from throughout South Florida for its first annual “Fun Shoot” to be held Saaturday August 22, 2009 at Quail Creek Plantation located between Ft. Pierce and Okeechobee on Highway 70. CLICK HERE for a printable PDF file with all the details, and consider joining other south Florida Farm Bureau friends for this fun day Fun Shoot event! With questions contact Lewanna at Palm Beach County Farm Bureau at 561-498-5200, or e-mail her at pbcfb1@bellsouth.net.
To date, Citrus Department advertising, marketing and research investments have been funded by Florida growers. Citrus Commissioner Bob Behr of Florida’s Natural Growers heads up the committee of the Commission that’s been dealing with the debate about how to get other citrus producing states and nations involved in funding for citrus marketing and/or research. Since the Commission voted this week to move forward with an effort toward a federal “research” order only, we asked Behr to comment on some of the dynamics involved in this somewhat controversial industry issue. Hear his comments in this report.
Florida Citrus Mutual’s annual conference is underway this week in southwest Florida. Grower members and industry leaders are gathered for fellowship and a morning program of seminars to discuss the pressing topics of the day. These include updates in HLB, (citrus greening) research, labor issues, and the latest about the Citrus Commission’s vote yesterday to pursue a federal research order to fund ongoing citrus disease research.
Meeting during the Florida Citrus Mutual conference in Bonita Springs mid-week, Florida Citrus Commissioners addressed a number of timely topics. Among the actions, a vote to move forward on a federal research order that may eventually lead to other citrus producing states and importers paying into the industry’s citrus disease research efforts. Hear more in these reports.
We’re not sure if it has ever been so late in getting published, but Florida fresh fruit growers, packers and shippers are anxious to hear about fresh fruit shipping rules for the coming season. Industry sources indicate the rule is expected to be published at anytime, hopefully sometime this week in time to be announced during this week’s Florida Citrus Mutual Conference in Bonita Springs. Florida interests hope since USDA scientists confirm picked fruit cannot spread citrus canker, that USDA will again allow Florida fruit to be shipped to all states again. At least one recent article in a grower newsletter in another citrus producing state, Texas, has quoted the USDA research as “Florida research” and says it will provide comments to the USDA about the rule when the time is right. Once the rule is published there will be some time for public comment before a final rule is confirmed.
Florida Citrus Mutual members and industry leaders are gathered on Florida’s southwest coast for some fun in the sun and discussions about industry issues this week. In another meeting going on at the Conference Wednesday, Florida Citrus Commissioners will address among other things the renewal of its advertising agency The Richards Group, and the possibilities for a federal order to tap other citrus producing states and importers for funding to help in research efforts already underway.
Everett Griner tells us that FL and CA are not threatened by this.
This release in today from Southern Gardens Citrus, Clewiston, FL, June 22, 2009 – 
Southern Gardens Citrus has planted the first research field trials of potential canker and greening disease-resistant citrus trees in its Hendry County citrus groves. The trees, noted to be resistant to canker and greening in the lab, were planted in small plots to determine if the trees are disease resistant under commercial grove conditions.
“These field trials are an important milestone both in our own proactive program dealing with disease and in the industry-wide efforts to save Florida citrus,” said Rick Kress, president, Southern Gardens Citrus. Read the rest of this entry »
Tim Gaver, Extension Agent II - Citrus, St. Lucie County Extension in Ft. Pierce, provides us his June newsletter for posting. You can contact Tim at 772 462-1660 or e-mail him at tgaver.49@ufl.edu
Click here to get the newsletter.
In this report, citrus makes news in the state of Georgia as HLB, or citrus greening disease, is confirmed on a lemon tree in Savannah. Hear more about it in this report.
We also found a newspaper clipping about this in a Georgia newspaper mid week, here’s the link.
Crop statistics are critical to growers and industry, but often overlooked when folks study the numbers are the many people behind the scenes dedicating their lives and careers to those statistics. Prior to his retirement in 2003, Paul N. Messenger dedicated over 50 years to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. He represented the Department and the State with authority and integrity in support of Florida’s agricultural economy. The success of the citrus forecasting program was attributable to Paul’s supervision and participation in the objective count surveys. Paul never failed to provide the tools, parameters, and guidance necessary to accurately analyze survey results. He trained numerous “Limb Counters” over the years and many went on to successful careers in the citrus industry. Read the rest of this entry »
Thefts are still costly to farmers. Today Everett Griner talks about just what is targeted.
This in today from the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association (FFVA):
FFVA JOINS SUIT TO FIGHT H-2A REFORM
FFVA and other growers’ associations filed suit June 9 against the U.S. Dept. of Labor in order to stop the present administration’s attempt to suspend Bush-era H-2A regulations that most of the industry still supports because of their simplicity and ease of use.
The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina, alleges that newly appointed Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis violated the Administrative Procedure Act in her efforts to withdraw the present H-2A rule.
The associations are asking for a permanent injunction to stop the administration from suspending the present H-2A regulations.
“It’s extremely important that the present regulations not be suspended as Florida growers have yet to file their H-2A certifications for the upcoming season,” said Walter Kates (photo), FFVA vice president of Labor Relations.
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In this series of reports, Florida Citrus Mutual CEO Mike Sparks reports on talks that Florida, California and Texas citrus interests had about federal marketing orders in Denver early in June. According to Sparks, California and Texas representatives wouldn’t consider a promotional marketing order to raise marketing funds. Those states are, however, interested in an order that would raise research funds. Sparks says a federal marketing order for research only would still help Florida’s marketing efforts, because the Florida Department of Citrus wouldn’t have to worry so much about funding research and could concentrate more funds on marketing.
In this report, USDA Radio’s Gary Crawford (photo) talks with Meteorologist Brad Rippey about the potential for an El Nino weather pattern to develop, and if it does, what the impacts on various areas of the U S may be.
HLB (citrus greening disease) was likely in Florida citrus groves years before being confirmed in 2005, University of Florida geneticist and plant breeder Fred Gmitter 
believes. He thinks the lack of widespread psyllid controls prior to confirmation of HLB allowed the disease to spread. Gmitter, who has recently spoken at numerous grower meetings about apparently successful efforts to control HLB in China, shares his views in this report.
Sponsoring this news report: 
CLICK HERE to go to the USDA Statistics website where all the citrus crop forecasts are stored, including the just released June update. The Florida all orange forecast released today by the USDA
Agricultural Statistics Board is 159.6 million boxes, up 2.0 million boxes from last month. The change is within the Valencia portion at 75.0 million boxes. The early-midseason-Navel varieties (including Temples) are final at 84.6 million boxes. Results of the Row Count (route survey) conducted June 1-2, 2009, show nearly 94% of the rows visited have been harvested. In the past eight non-hurricane seasons, the June forecast has deviated from final production by an average of less than one percent with three forecasts above, three below, and two equal to the final production.
