Just a few years ago, the Diaprepes root weevil was considered to be as bad a problem as growers could encounter in their groves. That was before HLB (greening disease) showed up in Florida and became growers’ biggest concern. However, Diaprepes remains a serious threat to groves it infests, especially in flatwoods soils. In this series of reports, Southeast AgNet’s …
New Gulf CGA President Describes Citrus Challenges
Carey Soud, newly elected president of the Gulf Citrus Growers Association, in this report says sustaining productivity and profitability are the broad challenges facing the citrus industry. He says serious diseases threaten productivity, and that consolidation of the processing industry potentially threatens grower profitability. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Provided Opportunity To Highlight Difficult Farming SubjectMarch 20, 2026Valley Helps Growers …
Florida Ag In Review for June 1, 2009
In this weeks podcast, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack speaks on the status of Animal ID, Florida Cattlemen sizzle the summer through partnerships, Gary Cooper wraps up his Citrus Tour, Florida Food Banks take a cut in financial assistance and Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Charles Bronson talks about the new E85 fueling station in the state. To hear Florida’s weekly …
HLB Success in China Turns Citrus Researcher into Optimist
In this series of reports from Ernie Neff, University of Florida geneticist and plant breeder Fred Gmitter tells about seeing healthy blocks of citrus in China surrounded by HLB (greening)-infected groves. He describes how some Chinese successfully manage HLB with timely psyllid control, high density plantings and good tree nutrition. There are discussions of how the China findings might apply …
Brazil Citrus Tour: More Reflections from a Florida Grower
John Smoak (in photo) and the other Florida growers participating in last week’s citrus industry tour to Brazil are back in Florida. But before leaving Brazil, Smoak offered the comments in this report about a five year old block of citrus that will soon be destroyed and replaced with sugar cane. We were told owners loved the young trees so …
Brazil Citrus Tour: Much Being Learned by All Aboard
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 …
Fresh Fruit: A Season Summary and Historical Perspective
Almost 10 percent of Florida’s total citrus crop is shipped as fresh fruit from Florida packinghouses each year. In the first two of the accompanying reports, Citrus Administrative Committee Manager Duke Chadwell summarizes fresh fruit shipments during the 2008-09 season. In the other reports, he discusses how the fresh fruit industry has shrunk in a decade, why the season starts …
Federal Marketing Order Proposals Cause Grower Confusion
While Florida growers were voting this month whether to have a fresh fruit marketing order for research and/or promotion, the Department of Citrus and others were discussing a similar federal marketing order for juice. The juice order would address the “free rider” issue surrounding the lack of taxation on imported orange juice. The existence of talks about two separate marketing …
Growers Urged to Become Informed on Federal Mktg Order Issues
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 …
Florida’s Peace River Valley Growers Deal With the Issues
Visiting recently with leaders of the Peace River Valley Citrus Growers’ Association, we had the chance to talk to PRVCGA president Justin Sorrells to ask about the biggest issues among his membership these days. Hear his comments in this report. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Provided Opportunity To Highlight Difficult Farming SubjectMarch 20, 2026Valley Helps Growers Get The Most Out …