Highlands County citrus grower John Barben reacts Thursday after U.S. Department of Agriculture official Mary Palm told growers about her agency’s initiative to combat HLB. He says USDA now recognizes that “it is a dire emergency that we’re facing.” Barben says other growers tell him daily that “they’re not making their production costs.” Palm, who heads the USDA’s HLB initiative, met with growers in Lakeland.
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