Abandoned Citrus Groves Hotbeds for Pests & Crop Diseases

Gary Cooper November 5, 2008 Citrus, Florida

In this report, comments from Florida Citrus Mutual CEO Mike Sparks about the abandoned groves issue. Florida Citrus Mutual’s board of directors has been discussing what can be done on the matter and Mutual staff has been discussing with the Florida Dept of Agriculture possible options toward toward encouraging owners of these properties to clean up their act.

Florida Cattle Producers Proactive In Research Efforts Funded by the Florida Cattle Enhancement Board

January 16, 2026

H-2A Program Use Soars
The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) recently reported key facts about use of the H-2A program. The vast majority of Florida citrus is harvested by temporary foreign workers through the H-2A program. The program continues to grow with 398,258 positions certified in fiscal year (FY) 2025. Nearly 50% of the certifications in FY 2025 work […]
Another Mexfly Quarantine Established in Texas
Federal and state agriculture officials on Jan. 26 established a Mexican fruit fly (Mexfly) quarantine in Granjeno, Hidalgo County, Texas, designated the Granjeno quarantine. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) took the action. APHIS and TDA established the Granjeno quarantine in response […]