The Florida Citrus Commission discussed on Wednesday proposals for heavy cuts to the Florida Department of Citrus budget next season. Commission Chairman Ellis Hunt and department Executive Director Shannon Shepp discuss the projected budget for next year, the funding for it, personnel cuts and how the budget will proceed. Twelve large growers and several organizations recently requested drastic
Yara Funds University of Florida Scholarships, Including for Citrus
Jorgen Rostrup, CEO of Yara North America, announced on Monday his company is funding two University of Florida scholarships, including one for citrus. He provides details in this report. Download Audio
Surviving Citrus Acreage May Offer Hope
The fact that much Florida citrus acreage has survived even as production has tumbled drastically in recent years could offer hope for the industry’s future, grower Larry Black says. Black, who is president of Florida Citrus Mutual, offered his comments on Monday at a citrus roundtable hosted by Yara North America in Tampa. Download Audio
Department of Citrus Future to be Addressed
A workshop to begin considering the future size and function of the Florida Department of Citrus will be conducted Wednesday in Bartow. The workshop will convene after the department’s governing board, the Florida Citrus Commission, holds a brief meeting at department headquarters. Earlier this year, 12 large citrus growers called for drastic cuts in the department’s budget, size and activities, …
Citrus Researcher Discusses Tolerance and Resistance to HLB
University of Florida citrus researcher Jude Grosser provides an update on tolerance to HLB by some citrus varieties. He also discusses the quest for resistance to HLB. Many consider resistant varieties and rootstocks to be the ultimate solution to the disease that has devastated Florida’s citrus crop and trees for more than a decade. Download Audio
Citrus Researcher: Use All Tools to Cope with HLB
Citrus growers should use all tools available to cope with HLB, University of Florida genetics researcher Jude Grosser suggests. He says growers who combine psyllid control, good nutrition, proper rootstock and scion selection and other practices have a good chance of maintaining yields. Download Audio
Why Lemons Could Join Florida’s Citrus Industry
The Florida citrus industry has always consisted of oranges, grapefruit and mandarins. University of Florida genetics researcher Fred Gmitter suggests that lemons could join Florida’s citrus industry. He offers several reasons, including the fact that lemons are very HLB tolerant and could give struggling processing plants more fruit to run. Download Audio
Per-Acre Prices of Florida Citrus Land Sales
Average per-acre prices of scores of citrus properties sold in 2015 are provided in this summary of the annual Lay of the Land Market Report prepared by Coldwell Banker Commercial Saunders Real Estate. The prices are for the Central Ridge, Flatwoods and Indian River areas. Prices are also provided for sales of former citrus land that went into other agricultural …
Why Florida Citrus Will Survive HLB
Speaking at the Citrus Growers’ Institute in Avon Park on Tuesday, University of Florida genetics researcher Fred Gmitter asked the question, “Will Florida’s citrus industry survive HLB?” In an interview after his presentation, he gave several reasons why he thinks the citrus industry will not only survive HLB, but thrive. Download Audio
Effect of HLB: Citrus Land Sales Up, Prices Down
Increased citrus land sales in 2015 at substantially lower prices show some citrus growers, especially smaller ones, are capitulating to HLB, says Dean Saunders of Coldwell Banker Commercial Saunders Real Estate. Saunders’ company released the land sales data at its annual Lay of the Land Conference on Friday. Download Audio