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.
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 »
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Murphy Citrus Nursery – Producing citrus trees far from commercial citrus areas
Several years ago when citrus canker changed the way citrus nursery trees would have to be produced, nurseryman Billy Murphy heard the call and focused his family nursery operation toward citrus seedling production far outside of Florida’s traditional citrus belt. Click the play icon under the photo to the left to hear our short interview with Billy Murphy about his nursery operation. Read the rest of this entry »
Citrus Expo 2009 planning is well underway. The event is scheduled for Lee Civic Center near Ft Myers August 19 & 20, 2009. Here is a rundown of some of the latest developments and some links to key information growers and industry vendors need to know.
Pre-registration is now open on line. CLICK HERE to pre-register, and remember, pre-registered growers are entered in a drawing to win a very nice John Deere gun safe sponsored by Everglades Farm Equipment! Citrus Expo Seminar Topics have been released, exact presentation times and speakers yet to come. Citrus Expo Trade Show Exhibit Spaces - Only a few remain. To find exhibitor information, see the floor plan, and learn about vendor sponsorship opportunities CLICK HERE!
Check out Citrus Expo’s new lodging and entertainment possibilities for overnight guests!
Keep up with all Citrus Expo program developments. Visit the CITRUS EXPO HOME PAGE anytime!
The rest of the group on the recent citrus tour to Brazil returned mid week. In this report, comments from University of Florida multi-county citrus extension agent Steve Futch (photo right), about some of what is being learned both in Brazil and Florida about HLB grove surveys. This report also includes a short comment from Lake Placid grower John Smoak who attended most of the trip.
Our small group from Florida is getting great access to groves, growers, citrus greenhouse nurseries, and government & industry officials on this week’s tour of Brazilian citrus. In the first report, an overview of the trip including mention of a new law in Brazil requiring growers to remove entire groves once HLB incidence in a grove reaches 28%.
In the second report, reflections from tour participant John Smoak of Lake Placid (photo).
In these two reports, more with Florida Citrus Commission Chairman Ben Albritton Jr who says he and other Citrus Commissioners are serious about wanting to engage all Florida growers in the discussion about a possible Federal Marketing order for citrus. It is a complex issue and growers may be asked to vote in a referendum about it, which could change the way the citrus industry handles research or marketing, or both.
Indian RIver citrus growers, like citrus growers all over Florida, continue to look for ways to effectively stop the spread of citrus psyllids, which cause the spread of greening. In this report, comments from Indian River CItrus League’s Doug Bournique about progress in aereal spray research as growers treat large areas at the same time.
Indian River Citrus League’s (IRCL) Board of Directors met Thursday attracting a large crowd of area growers to the meeting as always. The agenda included Citrus Department officials to discuss budget proposals and details about Federal Marketing Order ideas; several research updates; a legislative report from area Rep. Ralph Poppell (bottom left) himself a League member; and several other topics. In the first report below IRCL Executive Doug Bournique (top left) comments on key issues among IRCL growers presently. The second report is a commentary about the Marketing Order and what Florida growers should be doing right now about it. Florida citrus leaders have meetings planned to discuss this topic soon with growers in other citrus producting states too. Now is the time for Florida growers to be doing their homework.
Confusion abounds among Florida citrus growers about a Federal Marketing Order being discussed that might bring in new funds for citrus research and maybe promotion too, depending on how the Order is structured. Some growers worry about losing control over citrus marketing efforts or research direction. Florida Citrus Mutual and others urged Citrus Commissioners Wednesday to pass a motion to pursue only research in an Order, but other grower groups, like the Indian River Citrus League, have not discussed it in detail yet. But in these two reports the League’s Doug Bournique says a standing room only grower crowd is expected this week on Thursday in Vero Beach to do just that.
Several issues are up for discussion at this week’s Florida Citrus Commission meeting in Lakeland. Commissioners are wrestling with industry structure issues, research funding, marketing emphasis and a fix to the so-called “free-rider” issue, all in play at the same point in time. These two reports have comments from Chairman Ben Albritton Jr, speaking to us after his visit with Peace River Valley grower leaders on Tuesday in Wauchula.
In these two reports, comments from Patrick Gomes, National Coordinator for the Citrus Health Response Plan (CHRP), from a recent conference call with interested parties where CHRP officials offered updates about the program and enforcement activities related to it. In the first report below, he discusses new HLB finds in the Florida panhandle and elsewhere. In the second cut, Gomes talks about how the citrus nursery regulations in Florida may become the blueprint for nursery regulations nationwide. Find more information at USDA’s Website About the Citrus Health Response Program
The Nineteenth Annual 2009 Southwest Florida Farm Safety Day is almost here and will be held on Saturday, 6 June 2009. Safe and competent equipment operators are important to farm employers. Accidents, which cause damage, injury or death to employees, equipment and crops are costly. Organizers of the event believe all types of accidents can be reduced with proper employee training. The training at the event has been designed to help farm employees perform better, operate safely to prevent accidents, fulfill necessary training requirements and build pride in themselves and their farm company. Read the rest of this entry »
USDA Reports No Change in the 2008-2009 Florida Orange Crop
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 MAY update as soon as they get it posted. Meanwhile, here is Florida Citrus Mutual’s take on this month’s update: LAKELAND, Fla. (Citrus Mutual - May 12, 2009) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today released its May orange forecast for the 2008-2009 season showing no change to the 157.6 million box crop. Read the rest of this entry »
You’ll find the original post of this same radio report a week back in these news archives. It has comments from Florida Citrus Mutual C E O Mike Sparks about Mutual’s work on the Florida fresh fruit shipping rules for next season. Due to feedback received from one listener about other reports we’ve done on this topic in recent days, I want to be sure the record is straight - we’ve covered this same topic every year at this time for several years now, and this year we’ve again covered it from a variety of angles as we always do.
A new citrus industry organization that will administer funds for HLB (citrus greening disease) and canker research is now up and running. A board of mostly citrus growers met in Lake Alfred to organize the Florida Citrus Research and Development Foundation. In the first two reports herein, Southeast AgNet’s Ernie Neff (left) has details about this new Direct Support Organization that will operate under the auspices of the University of Florida. In the third report posted below, click the icon to hear comments from University of Florida IFAS Associate Vice President Joe Joyce (right) about this new Direct Support Organization that will help with citrus research.
Southwest Florida Citrus Growers have many of the same concerns as other growers around Florida particularly when it comes to greening. We speak with Gulf Citrus Growers Association Executive Ron Hamel in these reports about how his region’s growers are tackling the problem.
Some food industries have again recently proven no food industry is immune to food safety scares of huge proportions. University of Florida researcher Michelle Danyluk recently spoke about food safety and mechanical harvesting at a recent gathering of citrus growers. Hear her comments in this report.
In these two reports, AgroSource Executive Taw Richardson discusses the timetable for abscission products to become available, that should greatly help the mechanical harvesting process for Florida fruit.
In these two reports, following up on the trash talk series with Tim Spann from University of Florida’s Citrus Research and Education Center (UF/CREC). Spann discusses the trash issue in further detail and suggests that upcoming new products may help reduce trash in the harvesting process.
In this report citrus growers can learn more about the issue of trash in harvested fruit. As mechanical harvesting research continues to make progress with hopes of helping Florida growers reduce harvesting costs overall, processors like Dave Crumbly of Florida’s Natural say there remains a problem with sticks, leaves and other debris that creates havoc with juice processing equipment. Hear Crumbly’s comments in this report.
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. 
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, 
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. 
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
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.
Murphy Citrus Nursery – Producing citrus trees far from commercial citrus areas
The rest of the group on the recent citrus tour to Brazil returned mid week. In this report, comments from University of Florida multi-county citrus extension agent Steve Futch (photo right), about some of what is being learned both in Brazil and Florida about HLB grove surveys. This report also includes a short comment from Lake Placid grower John Smoak who attended most of the trip. 
Our small group from Florida is getting great access to groves, growers, 
In these two reports, more with Florida Citrus Commission Chairman Ben Albritton Jr who says he and other Citrus Commissioners are serious about wanting to engage all Florida growers in the discussion about a possible Federal Marketing order for citrus. It is a complex issue and growers may be asked to vote in a referendum about it, which could change the way the citrus industry handles research or marketing, or both. 
Indian RIver citrus growers, like citrus growers all over Florida, continue to look for ways to effectively stop the spread of citrus psyllids, which cause the spread of greening. In this report, comments from Indian River CItrus League’s Doug Bournique about progress in aereal spray research as growers treat large areas at the same time. 
Indian River Citrus League’s (IRCL) Board of Directors met Thursday attracting a large crowd of area growers to the meeting as always. The agenda included Citrus Department officials to discuss budget proposals and details about Federal Marketing Order ideas; several research updates; 
a legislative report from area Rep. Ralph Poppell (bottom left) himself a League member; and several other topics. In the first report below IRCL Executive Doug Bournique (top left) comments on key issues among IRCL growers presently. The second report is a commentary about the Marketing Order and what Florida growers should be doing right now about it. Florida citrus leaders have meetings planned to discuss this topic soon with growers in other citrus producting states too. Now is the time for Florida growers to be doing their homework. 
Confusion abounds among Florida citrus growers about a Federal Marketing Order being discussed that might bring in new funds for citrus research and maybe promotion too, depending on how the Order is structured. Some growers worry about losing control over citrus marketing efforts or research direction. Florida Citrus Mutual and others urged Citrus Commissioners Wednesday to pass a motion to pursue only research in an Order, but other grower groups, like the Indian River Citrus League, have not discussed it in detail yet. But in these two reports the League’s Doug Bournique says a standing room only grower crowd is expected this week on Thursday in Vero Beach to do just that. 
You’ll find the original post of this same radio report a week back in these news archives. It has comments from Florida Citrus Mutual C E O Mike Sparks about Mutual’s work on the Florida fresh fruit shipping rules for next season. Due to feedback received from one listener about other reports we’ve done on this topic in recent days, I want to be sure the record is straight - we’ve covered this same topic every year at this time for several years now, and this year we’ve again covered it from a variety of angles as we always do. 
A new citrus industry organization that will administer funds for HLB (citrus greening disease) and canker research is now up and running. A board of mostly citrus growers met in Lake Alfred to organize the Florida Citrus Research and Development Foundation. In the first two reports herein, Southeast AgNet’s Ernie Neff (left) has details about this new Direct Support Organization that will operate under the auspices of the University of Florida. 
In the third report posted below, click the icon to hear comments from University of Florida IFAS Associate Vice President Joe Joyce (right) about this new Direct Support Organization that will help with citrus research. 
Southwest Florida Citrus Growers have many of the same concerns as other growers around Florida particularly when it comes to greening. We speak with Gulf Citrus Growers Association Executive Ron Hamel in these reports about how his region’s growers are tackling the problem. 
Some food industries have again recently proven no food industry is immune to food safety scares of huge proportions. University of Florida researcher Michelle Danyluk recently spoke about food safety and mechanical harvesting at a recent gathering of citrus growers. Hear her comments in this report. 
In these two reports, AgroSource Executive Taw Richardson discusses the timetable for abscission products to become available, that should greatly help the mechanical harvesting process for Florida fruit. 
In these two reports, following up on the trash talk series with Tim Spann from University of Florida’s Citrus Research and Education Center (UF/CREC). Spann discusses the trash issue in further detail and suggests that upcoming new products may help reduce trash in the harvesting process. 
In this report citrus growers can learn more about the issue of trash in harvested fruit. As mechanical harvesting research continues to make progress with hopes of helping Florida growers reduce harvesting costs overall, processors like Dave Crumbly of Florida’s Natural say there remains a problem with sticks, leaves and other debris that creates havoc with juice processing equipment. Hear Crumbly’s comments in this report. 
