Headlines

Tropicana: Trying to Make a Greener Orange Juice – 3/12/2010
How green is your orange juice? A couple of years ago, PepsiCo, which owns the orange-juice brand Tropicana, tried to size up the carbon footprint of the popular morning tonic. It found that each half-gallon carton of OJ is responsible for 3.75 lbs. of CO2. [Read More]

U.S. Sugar-Everglades deal kept alive – 3/12/2010
Gov. Charlie Crist's Big Sugar land buy survives -- for now. [Read More]

Citrus crop forecast upgraded – 3/11/2010
After enduring the “freeze that would never end,” Florida citrus growers finally received some good news. [Read More]

Despite Cold, Citrus Estimate Increases – 3/10/2010
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's March update Wednesday raised the total Florida orange crop to 131 million boxes, an increase of 2 million boxes over the February forecast that had shaved the 2009-10 orange total by 6 million boxes because of projected freeze damage. [Read More]

USDA Increases 2009-2010 Florida Orange Estimate – 3/10/2010
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) increased its March orange crop forecast for the 2009-2010 season by 2 million boxes. Florida is now expected to produce 131 million boxes of oranges. [Read More]

Deal to Save Everglades May Help Sugar Firm – 3/8/2010
When Gov. Charlie Crist announced Florida’s $1.75 billion plan to save the Everglades by buying out a major landowner, United States Sugar, he declared that the deal would be remembered as a public acquisition “as monumental as the creation of the nation’s first national park, Yellowstone.” [Read More]

McTeer, Three Other Florida Citrus Leaders Honored – 3/6/2010
Harold McTeer was so successful selling agricultural chemicals he is one of only 15 people in the worldwide DuPont Crop Production Sales and Marketing Hall of Fame. [Read More]

EPA agrees to hear more comments on new water regulations – 3/6/2010
The Environmental Protection Agency today agreed to a extend the public comment period on proposed new water rules that have been blasted by Florida politicians. The decision came after members of the congressional delegation met with EPA chief Lisa Jackson. [Read More]

Putnam says EPA will extend comment period on Florida water rules – 3/4/2010
Congressman Adam Putnam today said the Environmental Protection Agency has agreed to extend the comment period on proposed new water rules after a meeting this morning between members of the Florida congressional delegation and EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson. [Read More]

Sign of the times? Fruit more profitable than grove land – 3/4/2010
During the recent boom decades, Central Florida's citrus businesses turned into real estate firms by default. [Read More]

Florida's Department of Citrus seeks international agency for $2.5m brief – 3/3/2010
The body charged with promoting Florida's oranges and grapefruits has put a major $2.5m (£1.67m) international PR account out to pitch. [Read More]

California citrus committee appointees – 3/2/2010
California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Secretary A.G. Kawamura has appointed Nick Hill as chairman, Craig Armstrong as vice chairman, and Richard Bennett as secretary/treasurer of the newly formed California Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Committee. [Read More]

California's main squeeze – 3/2/2010
As they motored through the scorching Central Valley in the family station wagon, Mel Haynes' nine children watched for the juice-and-fruit stands shaped like immense oranges that dotted California 99, symbolically proclaiming the Golden State's eminence as the king of citrus. [Read More]

Report: E-Verify misses half of illegal workers – 2/25/2010
The system Congress and the Obama administration want employers to use to help curb illegal immigration is failing to catch more than half the number of unauthorized workers it checks, a research company has found. [Read More]

Jack Ross honored at Winter Garden museum – 2/25/2010
More than 100 friends, family and well-wishers from throughout Central Florida gathered at the Winter Garden Heritage Museum last week to celebrate the life of Jack Ross, a patriarch of West Orange County. [Read More]

Appeals court hears Broward citrus canker case – 2/23/2010
The battle over citrus canker returned to court Tuesday as the Florida Department of Agriculture attempted to throw out a jury's $8 million award to Broward County homeowners whose trees were destroyed to stop the disease. [Read More]

Alico Appoints JD Alexander As President And CEO – 2/23/2010
Tuesday, Alico Inc. (ALCO: News ) said Steven Smith, President and Principal Executive Officer of Alico, has submitted his resignation as President and Principal Executive Officer. Replacing smith, the board appointed JD Alexander as President and Chief Executive Officer of Alico. [Read More]

Dow AgroSciences Makes $10,000 Donation to Citrus Industry – 2/22/2010
Dow AgroSciences recently donated $10,000 to the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) to help fund research for the control of citrus greening. The donation also will help fund studies approved by the Florida Citrus Research Production Advisory Council and Florida Citrus Industry Research Coordinating Council. [Read More]

EPA gets earful about proposed water pollution rules – 2/19/2010
Citrus growers, cattle ranchers, sugar farmers and utility operators told federal environmental regulators Thursday that they are all for keeping rivers and lakes clean, but they don't want to go broke doing it. [Read More]

Large crowd mostly hostile to EPA plans for cleaning Florida’s lakes and rivers – 2/18/2010
A public hearing on a federal plan to clean up Florida's rivers and lakes drew an unexpectedly large crowd of nearly 350 people to a room with only 200 chairs Wednesday. Whether seated or standing, most of the anxious speakers repeatedly lashed out against stiffer environmental regulations. [Read More]

Residents gather to complain about farmers' water use during cold snap – 2/18/2010
Last month's cold snap affected more than farmers. [Read More]

Ben Albritton Top Fundraiser in House District 66 Race – 2/18/2010
In the race to replace Rep. Baxter Troutman in his District 66 seat in the Florida House of Representatives, one candidate is far ahead in the three-way Republican primary race. [Read More]

EPA holds hearings on Florida water rules – 2/17/2010
Opponents of tough new environmental rules for Florida’s farm and urban runoff aired their concerns Tuesday at a federal hearing, while an environmentalist accused state officials of using misinformation and scare tactics to stir up that opposition. [Read More]

Florida growers group changes stance on tomato pickers' pay – 2/17/2010
In a major reversal, a powerful Florida agricultural group will now let its tomato-grower members distribute to workers extra wages contributed by buyers such as grocers and fast-food companies. [Read More]

Rules Tighten on Foreign Farm Workers – 2/12/2010
U.S. farmers will find it harder to get visas for foreign workers under a new Labor Department rule issued Thursday. [Read More]

New Guest-Worker Rules Seek to Increase Wages – 2/12/2010
Labor Secretary Hilda Solis announced new rules on Thursday for the temporary immigrant farm workers program, saying they would raise wages and strengthen labor protections for foreign and American workers. [Read More]

Fort Myers cook wins Florida citrus recipe contest – 2/11/2010
Black Bean and Orange Salad earned Louise Kline from Fort Myers FL the sweet taste of success in the Florida Citrus, Healthy, Pure & Simple recipe contest at the 2010 Florida State Fair. [Read More]

Labor Dep't Approves New Rules of Farmworkers – 2/11/2010
The Obama administration moved Thursday to increase wages and job safety protections for temporary farm workers, reversing a Bush era policy that unions said fostered cheap labor and undercut domestic hiring. [Read More]

Freeze Chops $1.6 Mil. in OJ Ads – 2/10/2010
Tom Selleck fans won't hear their heartthrob croon about the health benefits of orange juice quite so often in coming months thanks to January's citrus freeze. [Read More]

Freeze Cost Florida Growers 7.4 Million Boxes, Agency Says – 2/10/2010
Florida citrus growers lost at least 7.4 million boxes of fruit, including 6 million boxes of oranges, to last month's freeze. [Read More]

Florida citrus growers surprised frost damage wasn't worse – 2/10/2010
Florida lost more than 4 percent of its orange crop and more than 3 percent of its grapefruit during last month's freezes, a federal estimate released Tuesday shows. [Read More]

Freeze Reduces 2009-2010 Florida Orange Estimate – 2/9/2010
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released its February orange crop forecast for the 2009-2010 season, reducing its earlier estimate by 6 million boxes to 129 million boxes. [Read More]

Citrus marketers squeeze out Florida – 2/9/2010
The logo adorning Florida Citrus Commission stationery depicts a fruit tree nestled into the curve of Florida's Gulf Coast. The stylized tree is leaf green, grapefruit yellow and orange orange, and proclaims: "100% Pure Florida." [Read More]

Farming water: new plan for Everglades restoration would pay ranchers to use land for storing water – 2/9/2010
Jimmy Wohl's father got his unlikely start in the cattle business in 1962, snapping up 320 acres of military surplus land in western Broward County for $25 an acre and setting 10 cows loose on the property. [Read More]

Baker out of race for agriculture chief – 2/6/2010
State Sen. Carey Baker, the Iraqi war veteran who tried to grab the conservative mantle in the Republican primary contest for agriculture commissioner, dropped out of the race Friday. [Read More]

Polk Farmers Get Federal Help for Freeze Damages – 2/3/2010
In the face of a ballooning federal deficit, Uncle Sam will come to the rescue of Florida farmers struggling to recover from last month's brutal freezing weather. [Read More]

Mechanical Citrus Fruit Harvesting Stalemated – 2/3/2010
Florida citrus officials hope federal approval of a new chemical that loosens the bond between the stem and fruit will lead to more widespread adoption of mechanical harvesting. [Read More]

Florida Supreme Court to hear case over U.S. Sugar land deal – 2/3/2010
Even before its justices rule, the Florida Supreme Court has erected a potential legal hurdle to Gov. Charlie Crist's $536 million land deal with the U.S. Sugar Corp. [Read More]

Florida's largest citrus cooperative zooms into India – 1/29/2010
Florida's Natural Growers, one of the largest citrus cooperatives in the state of Florida and also one of the largest orange juice producers in the US, has recently announced its entry in the Indian market with an ambitious investment plan. [Read More]

Researchers update efforts to combat greening at citrus show – 1/28/2010
Even if researchers came up tomorrow with a “magic bullet,” an insecticide that more effectively killed the asian psyllids spreading the greening disease in citrus trees, growers would still have a problem, one prominent Treasure Coast grower says. [Read More]

Florida farmworkers: Cold snap cost us $50M in wages – 1/28/2010
Standing atop a ruined tomato patch off Krome Avenue in Homestead, advocates for farmworkers on Wednesday called for federal relief to help thousands who are out of work, money and food in the aftermath of this month's cold snap. [Read More]

100% Florida OJ coming to Capitol cafeteria thanks to Sink's office – 1/27/2010
A week ago, CFO Alex Sink's office learned the Capitol cafeteria didn't serve 100 percent Florida orange juice. It [Read More]

Citrus Grove owners learn about crops of the future – 1/27/2010
Looking into the future, citrus growers are imagining smaller, denser groves filled with bush-like trees that produce fruit at a younger age. [Read More]

Disease puts the squeeze on citrus trees – 1/27/2010
I used to think citrus trees were the only fruit trees that could grow well and live long lives in the Tampa Bay area without help from pesticides. [Read More]

No Protest Filed for Department of Citrus Advertising Contract – 1/26/2010
The Florida Department of Citrus is free to pursue a three-year contract with BBDO Atlanta after nobody filed a protest of its selection last Wednesday by the Florida Citrus Commission. [Read More]

Brazilian Scientist Shares Strategies to Fight Greening – 1/26/2010
The best strategy for combatting citrus greening, a fatal bacterial disease, remains a vigilant program including frequent pesticide sprays and removing infected trees as quickly as possible. [Read More]

Vero Beach Citrus firms band together – 1/21/2010
Between 25 to 30 citrus packing houses and sales offices in the Indian River Citrus League and central Florida are collecting items for Haitian relief efforts for Missionary Flights International, according to Laura Stocker, owner of Beach Fruit in Vero Beach. [Read More]

New DOC Ad Contract Winner Is Second to None – 1/20/2010
The winner of the new multi-million-dollar advertising contract with the Florida Department of Citrus may have a "Cy Young Problem." [Read More]

$2 Mil. Strikeout on Department of Citrus Lakeland Headquarters Sale – 1/20/2010
Florida Department of Citrus officials on Wednesday indicated they would negotiate a sale of its Lakeland headquarters to the Polk County School Board for something less than the $2 million previously sought. [Read More]

RCMA calls for farmworker disaster help – 1/19/2010
Thousands of low-income farmworkers will lose wages in the wake of devastating freezes through Florida's vegetable belt, prompting calls Saturday for disaster aid. [Read More]

Congressmen tour crop damage – 1/18/2010
Florida is now considered a disaster area after last week's deep freeze wiped out much of the state's crops. Now, congressional leaders are assessing the damage and trying to bring in help. [Read More]

Florida Citrus Hall of Fame Announces 2010 Inductees – 1/18/2010
The Selection Committee for The Florida Citrus Hall of Fame has announced four distinguished leaders will be inducted into the Hall as part of the 2010 class. [Read More]

Citrus Growers Race Against Time – 1/18/2010
Citrus grower Ric Freeman says in south Lake County he lost close to 90 percent of his fruit to ice damage. The loss has cost more than $200,000. [Read More]

A Florida without citrus? A scary and possible future – 1/18/2010
Imagine Florida without citrus. [Read More]

Sinkhole politics: Who gets heard? – 1/17/2010
Midday on Friday, Gov. Charlie Crist toured a citrus grove in Polk County, noted the "incredible damage" caused by days of freezing temperatures and signed a letter asking for federal disaster relief for Florida's farmers. [Read More]

Farmworkers struggle – 1/16/2010
Josefina Antunez was at the front of the line snaking around Guadalupe Social Services in Immokalee on Friday morning. [Read More]

Arcadian's invention is citrus saver – 1/15/2010
With temperatures dipping below freezing, citrus growers are looking for ways to protect their very young trees. An Arcadia man's invention -- the Tree-T-Pee -- is coming to the rescue. [Read More]

Putnam tours damaged citrus groves – 1/15/2010
U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam, who is running for state agriculture commissioner, stopped at several citrus groves in south Lake County today as part of a statewide tour to assess the damage to the agricultural industry caused by this week’s frigid temperatures. [Read More]

Sub-Freezing Temperatures Hit Florida Citrus – 1/11/2010
[Read More]

Frozen Crops Will Cost Shoppers At Supermarket – 1/11/2010
Sunday night’s freezing temperatures damaged even more of Florida's citrus crops [Read More]

Community prides itself on rich citrus history – 1/10/2010
With the unusually frigid weather that has blanketed Polk County in recent days, saving citrus is on the minds of those it feeds. [Read More]

Black and Story named as professionals to watch in the next decade – 1/10/2010
The Ledger sought suggestions from the community and from members of a previous group of leaders profiled in 1999. After much discussion and debate, more than 60 names were narrowed down to the 20 you see here. [Read More]

Third Night Of Freezing Brings Significant Damage – 1/7/2010
Central Florida's tropical fish farmers appear to have suffered the most after three nights of freezing weather, though citrus and strawberry growers were also looking at some damage Wednesday after the coldest night of the year so far. [Read More]

How sweet it is: Grapefruit – 1/7/2010
When it comes to grapefruit, patience pays. [Read More]

OJ Futures Prices Spike with Low Temperatures – 1/7/2010
Dipping temperatures in Florida are driving up the cost of orange juice. [Read More]

Freezing Weather on Its Way Tonight, Wednesday Morning – 1/5/2010
Despite official temperatures as low as 29 degrees Monday morning at the Winter Haven Airport, the freezing weather during the past two days still looks like a sparring match before the main event. [Read More]

Editorial: Citrus greening ... another potential ‘squeeze’ – 1/4/2010
As if extended winter cold were not enough of a menace, Florida’s citrus industry is fighting a disease called citrus greening that ruins crops. [Read More]

Sweet times turned to sour – 1/2/2010
Jeffrey Schorner darts through Al's Family Farms like a car salesman in a crowded showroom. He brags about his orange juice. He climbs under the packing machine. He grabs a tangelo for a gift box, then orders his 15-year-old son to the nearby groves. [Read More]

Tropical Fruit Shop has served up Florida citrus for nearly a century – 1/2/2010
When it comes to success, the two little words that have kept this shop going strong for 95 years are "fresh squeezed." [Read More]

Deseret expands ranch with $31.7M acquisition – 1/1/2010
One of the state’s largest property owners just got a little bigger. [Read More]

Thumb up: Citrus company celebrates remarkable 95 years in business – 12/28/2009
TREASURE COAST TREASURE: Bernard Egan & Co. is now in its third generation of family ownership and is celebrating its 95th year in the citrus business. [Read More]

Indian River County sand miner must prove he won't draw water away from groves – 12/28/2009
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — A Port St. Lucie dentist who has been trying for about two years to get a permit to mine sand from 80 acres west of Interstate 95 now has to assure county planners and consultants the mine won’t draw water away from irrigation for citrus groves. [Read More]

Incredible Disappearing Oranges – 12/22/2009
Florida is growing its second-smallest orange crop this decade, forcing futures traders to focus on two key elements—fruit size and weather—as the calendar flips to 2010. [Read More]

Department of Citrus Wants $2 Million for Lakeland Property Valued at $1.25 Million – 12/22/2009
Lakeland fixer-upper. About 60 rms w vu (of church mission), six bathrooms, large conference rooms, loading dock. Good neighbors (2nd District Court of Appeal), conveniently located near shopping, restaurants. A steal at $2 million. [Read More]

Citrus Commission Praised; Streamlines Itself – 12/16/2009
Dean Cannon, Florida House Speaker Designate, praises the Florida Citrus Commission for funding and regulating its own activities and says he’ll always work to protect its research and marketing funds. [Read More]

Florida OJ Sales Rise at Grapefruit Juice's Expense – 12/16/2009
Florida OJ sales rose for the eighth straight month thanks largely to lower prices, but the gains came partly at the expense of declining grapefruit juice sales. [Read More]

`Fresh from Florida' fruit marketing campaign expands in Europe – 12/16/2009
The Florida Department of Agriculture said Wednesday that the tart pink citrus fruit will be sold under signs that read "Taste the Warmth of Florida Sunshine" at 220 Waitrose stores in and around London. [Read More]

Citrus growers increase research tax on themselves – 12/14/2009
With 76 percent of the vote, the Florida citrus growers overwhelmingly voted to continue funding a self-imposed tax to conduct canker and greening research for another six years. Consensus was reached through a statewide referendum that concluded Wednesday. [Read More]

Scientists fight citrus greening disease – 12/14/2009
Researchers are developing a two-pronged approach to controlling an insect, the Asian citrus psyllid, that spreads the greening disease that currently poses the greatest threat to Florida’s citrus industry. [Read More]

Send some sunshine for the holidays, citrus growers urge – 12/13/2009
Florida citrus is a traditional gift for the holidays. The timing couldn't be better with oranges in full season by November and December. [Read More]

Inland citrus heritage facing threat – 12/11/2009
A citrus quarantine that has been extended throughout the San Bernardino Valley and into northern Riverside County has some people worried about the longevity of the region's citrus heritage. [Read More]

Florida orange crop forecast reduced – 12/11/2009
Citing fewer valencia oranges, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has lowered its Florida orange crop forecast. [Read More]

Mutual Applauds Citrus Growers for Approving Research Order – 12/10/2009
Florida’s largest citrus trade organization said Thursday it applauds growers for making the smart decision to continue funding important disease research. [Read More]

Psyllid threat explored at California Farm Bureau meeting – 12/10/2009
A number of invasive pests pose threats of varying degrees to California’s fruit and vegetable crops, and Robert Leavitt set out to discuss several of them during a breakout session titled “What’s Bugging Us? Pests Invading California” Dec. 7 during the annual meeting of the California Farm Bureau Federation. [Read More]

Citrus greening disease found in western Mexico – 12/10/2009
Huanglongbing, the catastrophic citrus disease, has been found for the first time on the west coast of mainland Mexico. [Read More]

Florida citrus growers extend box tax to fight fruit and tree pests and disease – 12/10/2009
Florida citrus growers have agreed to continue a self-imposed tax used to conduct research into citrus pests and diseases. [Read More]

Anti-Greening Tax Wins Easily – 12/9/2009
In a time when public reaction to a proposed tax hike can make the "tea party" movement look like an Obama fan club, Florida citrus growers overwhelmingly agreed to triple their tax burden to fight the dreaded citrus greening disease. [Read More]

Customs watches holiday travelers' stashes for gifts that keep giving, like pests and diseases – 12/9/2009
The mountain of oranges, tangerines, lemons and more exotic fruits piled in the customs office at the Hidalgo international bridge in Texas on Thanksgiving Day would have made any grocer proud. [Read More]

Florida Orange Crop May Slump as Fruit Shrinks, Allendale Says – 12/9/2009
Orange output in Florida may tumble as much as 25 percent because fruit sizes are shrinking and farmers removed trees to slow the spread of citrus greening, said Jerry Neff, a branch manager at Allendale Inc. [Read More]

Clouds keep overnight temperatures up, crops safe in California – 12/9/2009
Lingering cold from a major storm that hit California on Monday threatened damage to citrus across the state, but overnight clouds kept temperatures above freezing throughout the Coachella Valley. [Read More]

Central Florida citrus grove gears up for the holidays – 12/8/2009
It's the day after Thanksgiving, and a steady flow of customers is sampling the freshly squeezed orange and grapefruit juice at Harvey's Groves off U.S. 1. [Read More]

Steve Cockram: Many health benefits come with 100 percent juices – 12/7/2009
We at Growers Co-op need to respond to the article in the Nov. 29 Viewpoints section titled “Juice feels the squeeze.” This article seems to make the overarching assertion that in a sedentary society where overeating is rampant, that any beverage that contains fructose is bad. Eat the whole fruit and drink water. [Read More]

Tri-national citrus disease plan being finalized – 12/1/2009
A cooperative agreement among the U.S., Mexico and Belize to protect their commercial citrus industries from an incurable plant disease is expected to be signed within days, according to experts who met recently at a conference in McAllen. [Read More]

Six-ton coriander shipment denied entry at Pharr bridge – 11/27/2009
A two-ton coriander shipment was denied entry to the United States at the Pharr bridge Wednesday after customs officials discovered it carried a pest known for transmitting citrus greening disease. [Read More]

Citrus Industry Still Adds $9 Billion to Florida – 11/26/2009
Good news for Florida citrus: The industry had a nearly $9 billion economic impact on the state's economy in the 2007-08 growing season, about the same as a decade ago. [Read More]

Flu jumpstarts orange juice sales – 11/25/2009
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Florida Department of Citrus seeks to 'educate' scientists about the value of orange juice – 11/25/2009
Apparently, the Florida citrus industry has a thin skin. When we reported earlier this month that many scientists have come to the conclusion that 100% fruit juice isn’t much healthier than soda, growers took notice. [Read More]

Citrus Box Tax: Life of Death for Citrus – 11/20/2009
In November 1991, Florida citrus growers voted to tax themselves to help fund research to improve and protect crop production. That tax cannot be extended without the approving vote of citrus growers ever six years. [Read More]

Orange juice isn't Coca-Cola – 11/20/2009
I was surprised to read what looks to me like a commentary piece masquerading as a news article (“It’s time fruit juice loses its wholesome image, some experts say,” Nov. 8) in a newspaper known for its unbiased reporting on health and nutrition. [Read More]

Citrus Grower Has New Chief Operating Officer – 11/20/2009
Robert Behr has been promoted to chief operating officer at Florida's Natural Growers effective Dec. 1, the Lake Wales citrus growers' cooperative announced in a Wednesday press statement. [Read More]

New Minute Maid juice packaging -- can it avoid the Tropicana disaster? – 11/19/2009
In the world of advertising, the Tropicana disaster of 2008-09 is already legendary. [Read More]

Growers Asked to Raise Taxes On Selves – 11/19/2009
Don't tax you! Don't tax me! Tax the guy behind the citrus tree! That's the principle behind a state tax to raise money for citrus research. Growers first agreed in 1991 to tax themselves up to 1 cent for each box of citrus they produce to pay for scientific research on improved methods to deal with diseases, pests and other obstacles to growing Florida's signature crop. [Read More]

Clean Water Wins War, Now It May Be Time to Pay – 11/19/2009
The most recent battle in the Clean Water Wars is over. Clean water won. [Read More]

Sweet jobs there for the picking – 11/19/2009
Florida’s job of the future will require applicants willing to shoulder heavy responsibility. [Read More]

Lessons from Florida aid in California's Asian citrus psyllid fight – 11/18/2009
As our citrus-growing counterparts in Florida suffer the loss of production because of Asian citrus psyllid and huanglongbing (HLB), California has the advantage of learning from their experience. [Read More]

Growers face greening tax vote – 11/18/2009
In the next two weeks, Florida citrus growers will decide the fate of the industry’s research effort to defeat HLB/greening disease. [Read More]

Coca-Cola Unifies Juice Brand Designs – 11/18/2009
The Coca-Cola Company has re-designed the packaging for its portfolio of global juice brands. The revamped line will make its debut this month with a new design for Minute Maid, and will expand to Del Valle, Andina and Cappy brands in 2010. [Read More]

Fungi Reduces Grapefruit Juice, Medication Interaction – 11/18/2009
Certain fungi can prevent compounds in grapefruits from interfering with some prescription medicines, according to new research from scientists at Agricultural Research Service (ARS). [Read More]

Growers Should Vote “YES” on State Citrus Research Order Referendum – 11/16/2009
In the next two weeks, Florida citrus growers will decide the fate of the industry’s research effort to defeat HLB/greening disease. [Read More]

Beating Breakfast's High Costs – 11/16/2009
It's said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. [Read More]

McIntyre wins Smoak award – 11/16/2009
The winner of the first-ever Mason G. Smoak Friend of Agriculture Award was Smoak himself, the Lake Placid cattleman and citrus grower who died in a June 20, 2008 plane crash. His wife, Tracee, accepted. [Read More]

Orange juice sales get a kick from flu fears – 11/15/2009
The international wave of panic sparked by the spreading H1N1 influenza has citrus growers in Florida struggling to keep straight faces. [Read More]

Obama names Florida farm director – 11/13/2009
The White House today named Tim Manning as Florida state executive director for the Farm Service Agency at the USDA. [Read More]

Gulf Citrus Growers Plan More Area-Wide Psyllid Sprays – 11/13/2009
Coordinated sprays for the psyllids that spread citrus greening disease have covered most citrus acreage in the Southwest Florida, or Gulf, region. [Read More]

Gubernatorial candidate Sink visits Florida Citrus Mutual – 11/12/2009
Florida Chief Financial Officer and gubernatorial candidate Alex Sink shared her views about agriculture, and citrus in particular, with Florida Citrus Mutual’s Board of Directors Wednesday. [Read More]

Citrus call informative, brief – 11/12/2009
Today’s conference call about the upcoming Florida Citrus Research Order referendum was informative for those who tuned in for it, as Florida Citrus Mutual’s Mike Sparks reviewed the background of how it all came about and reviewed the importance of growers investing into research to continue to effectively battle HLB, or citrus greening disease. [Read More]

Citrus leader Lenny Smith passes – 11/11/2009
Citrus businessman and agricultural leader Leonard C. (Lenny) Smith III, 57, passed away early Tuesday morning at Highlands Regional Medical Center. [Read More]

CDFA: No HLB in California – 11/9/2009
The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) says California remains free of the disease Huanglongbing (HLB) or citrus greening that has destroyed citrus trees worldwide. [Read More]

Desert Southwest Under Quarantine – 11/9/2009
The Desert Southwest is officially under quarantine. Officials say a small insect is causing big problems. [Read More]

Schacht Groves celebrates 60 years – 11/9/2009
VERO BEACH — Nov. 1 marked the start of the 60th season for local citrus grower Schacht Groves. [Read More]

It's time fruit juice loses its wholesome image, some experts say – 11/8/2009
To many people, it's a health food. To others, it's simply soda in disguise. [Read More]

Agriculture Literacy Day Set For March 23, 2010 – 11/7/2009
The seventh annual Florida Agriculture Literacy Day is scheduled for Tuesday, March 23, 2010, and Florida agriculture industry volunteers are invited to read a new children's book written in honor of the event. [Read More]

Florida’s Natural Foundation gives out inaugural grants – 11/7/2009
In March of this year, the grower members of Florida’s Natural Brand organized the “Florida’s Natural Growers Foundation” to offer support to local organizations in the Central Florida area. [Read More]

Huanglongbing event draws researchers – 11/6/2009
It has been eight years since the Asian citrus psyllid was first detected in Texas. [Read More]

Peace River Citrus Products Acquires DUDA’s Retail and Food Service Juice Packaging Business – 11/3/2009
Peace River Citrus Products, Inc. announced today that it has just acquired A. Duda & Sons’ frozen concentrated orange and allied juice-related retail, food service and contract packaging business at DUDA’s Citrus Belle plant located in LaBelle, FL. The terms of the purchase were not disclosed. The operation provides packaged juice products for private label customers and for food service distributors, and also provides juice packaging services for major juice brands in the United States. [Read More]

FCPRAC Chair Tells Why to Vote for New Research Order – 11/3/2009
For years, Evans Properties grove manager and Florida Citrus Production Research Advisory Council (FCPRAC) Chair Peter McClure has helped direct the research that a grower “box tax” pays for. [Read More]

Supreme Court seeks White House views on hiring undocumented immigrants – 11/3/2009
The Obama administration will enter the politically tricky immigration arena, courtesy of the Supreme Court. [Read More]

Dockery Says She Will Make Race For Governor Official Tuesday – 11/2/2009
State Sen. Paula Dockery says she will run for governor, challenging Attorney General Bill McCollum for the Republican nomination. [Read More]

Guest commentary: Misinformation about water managers across Florida – 11/2/2009
A great deal of misinformation is being circulated about efforts by water-management districts, numerous cities and counties, utilities throughout Florida and industries across the state in response to efforts by the federal government, through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to impose arbitrary nutrient standards for nitrogen and phosphorus in Florida waters. [Read More]

Citrus psyllid trapped close to commercial groves – 11/2/2009
A single Asian citrus psyllid has been found in a trap near some of Southern California’s commercial citrus groves. [Read More]

Flu fear boosting sales of Florida orange juice as industry touts immune system benefits – 11/2/2009
Wake up and good morning. And while you're at it, have an extra swig of orange juice. Just to be safe(r) against the colds and flu. [Read More]

After 40 years, a citrus grove faces its demise. What's next? – 10/31/2009
The cars and trucks that cruise into Sunrise Grove are required to go through a rather futile charade. [Read More]

Publix Target of Farmworkers – 10/30/2009
A Florida-based farmworkers group says it will come to Lakeland in December to demonstrate against Publix Super Markets Inc. as part of an effort to improve conditions on tomato farms. [Read More]

Three Firms Still in Hunt for Citrus Ad Contract – 10/30/2009
The candidate field for the multi-year, multimillion-dollar advertising contract with the Florida Department of Citrus got cut 40 percent Thursday. [Read More]

No HLB in Arizona-found psyllid – 10/29/2009
The USDA-Agricultural Research Service laboratory in Beltsville, Md., has confirmed the insect found in a sticky trap in San Luis, Ariz., in mid-October was an Asian citrus psyllid (ACP). The good news — the psyllid did not carry the citrus tree-killing Huanglongbing disease (HLB), or citrus greening. [Read More]

Ag Venture Gets Ready to Roll Out – 10/29/2009
Even though the county is gaining more residents, more homes, more public buildings, more restaurants and more traffic, the work of cultivating the land, caring for animals and protecting lakes and woods is still the heart of our local economy. [Read More]

Mutual Talks About the Fresh Fruit Rule – 10/26/2009
The U-S Department of Agriculture has amended its citrus canker regulations. This means fruit can now be shipped to quarantined states. [Read More]

Insects in Day of Dead altar decorations threaten citrus crops – 10/26/2009
A plant used in Day of the Dead displays could spell doom for citrus growers, authorities said. [Read More]

Natalie's Orchid Island juice co. creates the wow factor at food and beverage show – 10/26/2009
WOW! Those three little letters were exclaimed recently in a variety of languages at the Anuga food show in Cologne, Germany as people experienced the amazing taste of Fresh Squeezed Florida Orange Juice. Anuga, which claims to be the world’s most important food and beverage trade show, attracted 153,000 visitors this year from 180 countries. Among the exhibitors featured was Natalie’s Orchid Island Juice Company. [Read More]

Obama Will Visit Arcadia – 10/25/2009
A presidential visit is big news anywhere in America, but in a city so small that Friday night football games are still the weekly happening and politicians gather under the Tree of Knowledge, hearing "Hail to the Chief" at a presidential visit is the chance of a lifetime. [Read More]

Plane Crash Kills Pilot, Newlywed, 7-Year-Old Girl – 10/24/2009
Authorities say a newlywed, her 7-year-old daughter and the pilot flying her husband's company plane were killed in the fiery plane crash in eastern Pasco County on Friday night. [Read More]

Matriarch at Mixon Farms dies at 80 – 10/24/2009
Mary Elizabeth Mixon, the matriarch of what is now a multimillion dollar business called Mixon Fruit Farms, passed away Thursday. She was 80. [Read More]

Putnam to Hold Public Meeting – 10/23/2009
U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam, R-Bartow, will hold a town hall meeting 6-8 p.m. Monday at the Bartow Civic Center, 2250 S. Floral Ave., Bartow. [Read More]

Scientists zero in on carriers of citrus plague – 10/23/2009
The vast citrus groves of the Central Valley could be decimated if a microbe now laying waste to Florida citrus were to get established in California. But now scientists for the Agricultural Research Service say they’re closing in on ways to determine if an insect is carrying the microbe. [Read More]

Test Detects Insect Carriers of Citrus Greening Disease – 10/23/2009
With their pleasing flavor, cheerful color, and health-imparting dose of vitamin C, it's not surprising that oranges are one of America's Top 10 favorite fruits. But some of the nation's citrus groves are threatened by a microbe that causes citrus greening disease, and by a tiny insect that carries this microbe. [Read More]

Citrus Cleared for Shipping – 10/23/2009
The United States Department of Agriculture on Thursday rescinded a ban on commercial citrus shipments from Florida, clearing the way for the state's growers to ship their products to 10 other U.S. citrus-producing states and territories. [Read More]

Florida citrus is cleared for travel – 10/23/2009
A federal decision that took effect Thursday opened markets in five states and five U.S. territories to fresh Florida citrus, which was barred three years ago because of fears that shipments would spread canker. [Read More]

Farmworker Children Face Challenges – 10/21/2009
If children are the future, then the future for the farm workers in the United States will be filled with perpetual trouble. [Read More]

Commission Must Cut Budget – 10/21/2009
As often happens this time of year, the Florida Department of Citrus finds itself on the wrong end of a good news/bad news story. [Read More]

New Citrus Canker Rule to go Into Effect Thursday – 10/21/2009
Florida Citrus Mutual CEO Mike Sparks confirms industry rumors that a new citrus canker rule will go into effect Thursday. [Read More]

Tiny citrus critter requires big-time pest control – 10/20/2009
The much-feared Asian citrus psyllid hasn't been found in a San Joaquin Valley grove yet, but it may already be taking its toll on some citrus nurseries. [Read More]

California Citrus Farmers Prepare for War against Citrus Greening Disease – 10/19/2009
Citrus growers will soon be paying a one-cent sur-charge for each carton of fruit they produce. Many feel it is money well-spent because it will be used to establish a war chest against a dangerous pest. [Read More]

Test plots for biofuel showing good signs in Highlands – 10/19/2009
The 15-foot tall plants with browning leaves and rust-colored flower stalks swaying in the breeze almost seemed like something out of "Jack The Beanstalk." [Read More]

Project Turns Citrus Grove Into Power Source – 10/16/2009
New solar projects are going up across the state as a major utility company tries to harness this alternative technology. [Read More]

America's Heartland Features Episode on Greening – 10/14/2009
[Read More]

State tries aerial assault to fight fruit flies – 10/13/2009
The skies over Hollywood will come alive with winged insects with just one thing on their tiny minds beginning today.. [Read More]

Citrus farmers build war chest to fight disease – 10/13/2009
Seeking to keep at bay a disease that could cripple the billion-dollar-plus California citrus business, farmers are expected to start generating a war chest to fight the disease and the insect that carries it. [Read More]

Zebra chip, citrus greening conference slated in McAllen – 10/13/2009
A conference to address serious plant diseases in citrus and potato crops is drawing national and international attention, according to organizers. [Read More]

Griffin III to be inducted in Florida Ag Hall of Fame – 10/12/2009
Ben Hill Griffin III of Frostproof is one of four men who will be inducted next year in the Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame, the foundation announced Friday. [Read More]

Fewer Boxes of Citrus Means More Money for Growers, Stable Prices – 10/10/2009
Citrus growers in Polk all but cheered Friday's crop estimate of 136 million boxes of oranges statewide, even though it's 16.2 percent less than last season. [Read More]

2009-2010 Florida Citrus Crop Expected to Decrease – 10/9/2009
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released its initial citrus crop forecast for the 2009-2010 season, estimating Florida will produce 136 million boxes of oranges, a 16 percent decrease from last season. [Read More]

U.S. House agriculture bill includes millions more to fight citrus diseases – 10/8/2009
Some $44.7 million has been earmarked for the Citrus Health Research Program in the 2010 budget year Agriculture Appropriations bill, which is a $9 million increase over last year’s level, according to a news release from U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney, R-Tequesta. [Read More]

Calif. citrus farmers fear tree-killing disease – 10/8/2009
Tom Mulholland is girding for battle against a tiny enemy that could devastate the orange grove he has spent his life cultivating. His adversary: the Asian citrus psyllid, a fruit-fly-sized insect with red eyes and a long, leaf-penetrating beak. [Read More]

Aerial attack launched on Plaquemines citrus groves – 10/7/2009
Plaquemines Parish citrus farmers are fighting back against the Asian citrus psyllid, a gnat-size insect that can transmit "greening disease," a condition that kills citrus trees. [Read More]

Cutrale Farm Freed of Protesters by Brazil Police – 10/7/2009
A farm owned by Sucocitrico Cutrale Ltda., the world’s largest orange-juice producer, was cleared of protesters after a week-long occupation that damaged trees, Brazilian police said. [Read More]

Florida citrus growers take up dumping with federal agency – 10/2/2009
Florida Citrus Mutual is contemplating its next move in the ongoing issue of underpriced orange juice imported from Brazil. [Read More]

State's citrus crop less than $1 billion – 9/30/2009
A crash in farm prices for oranges that began in January 2008 plus declining orange juice sales for most of last season sent the value of Florida's orange crop below $1 billion for the first time in four years. [Read More]

Citrus acreage holding steady – 9/30/2009
A drive down U.S. 27 tells us there is less citrus acreage in Highlands County, but we're still No. 3. [Read More]

Fruit, veggie industry touts tracking plan – 9/29/2009
When Wegmans Supermarkets, a Rochester. N.Y.-based 73-store grocery chain, learned early last week it had received four cases of spinach that might have been contaminated with salmonella, dozens of employees worked quickly to track them down. [Read More]

Abandoned Treasure Coast citrus land can be disease breeding ground – 9/29/2009
Though the situation is improving, state officials and citrus growers remain concerned about the number of abandoned citrus groves that are a potential breeding ground for pests and diseases. [Read More]

Watchdog Questions Citrus Department Move – 9/29/2009
The financial watchdog for the Florida Department of Citrus has questioned whether moving its headquarters from Lakeland to Bartow will result in greater economic efficiency, the reason cited by state Sen. J.D. Alexander, who pushed for the move. [Read More]

Waverly grew out of dwelling place for citrus employees – 9/27/2009
Located just to the east of Winter Haven, the community of Waverly can't officially be classified as a city, a town or even a village. It is more like a crossroad, straddling State Road 540 between U.S. Highway 27 and State Road 17. [Read More]

International effort launched to fight citrus disease threat – 9/26/2009
An international coalition of citrus farming and agriculture officials is launching a cross-border plan to suppress the march of a tiny insect that threatens California's $1.6-billion citrus industry. The insect often carries a disease that kills citrus trees and has ravaged orchards in Florida as well as overseas. [Read More]

Successful story of local Orchid Island Juice Co. one to embrace – 9/25/2009
The seeds to this home-grown international business celebrating its 20th year were sown five generations ago in Treasure Coast citrus groves. But without the friendly hand of an economic development team from Fort Pierce, the company might have remained stifled under the heavy hammer of Indian River County bureaucracy. [Read More]

Polk Still Top Citrus County – 9/25/2009
A crash in farm prices for oranges that began in January 2008 plus declining orange juice sales for most of last season sent the value of Florida's orange crop below $1 billion for the first time in four years. [Read More]

Health authorities act to contain bacterial threat to citrus trees – 9/23/2009
A month after the discovery of Asian citrus psyllids in Santa Ana and Echo Park, state and county plant health authorities are scrambling to implement new regulations for citrus growers who sell at farmers markets in affected areas. [Read More]

Orange grove acreage holds steady – 9/18/2009
Florida's signature crop is down, but not out. [Read More]

Florida lost 1 percent of orange trees over year – 9/18/2009
Florida has about 1 percent fewer commercial orange trees than it did a year ago, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Friday in a tree census that reflected the impact of tree-killing citrus greening disease. [Read More]

More Citrus Growers Abandon Groves – 9/18/2009
Few growers expressed surprise that abandoned grove acreage in Florida grew during the past year. [Read More]

Polk Still No. 1 in New Census – 9/18/2009
[Read More]

Growers Decide to Skip Brokers and Sell Fruit Directly – 9/18/2009
Neil Combee and Lewis King come from families that have been farming in Polk County for generations. In the past, they followed the traditional method of selling their fruits and vegetables to brokers who would distribute the produce to stores. [Read More]

Haines City Citrus Growers Association Recieves Award from Chamber of Commerce – 9/18/2009
Dennis Broadway, executive vice president and general manager of the Haines City Citrus Growers Association, whose business observed 100 years of business with a celebration Saturday, was presented a special award by the chamber in observance of those 100 years of business. [Read More]

Office Move Will Cost $769,109 – 9/17/2009
In a buildup rivaling that for the new Jay Leno Show, Florida Department of Citrus Comptroller Deb Funkhouser took her time to unveil the big number: $769,109. [Read More]

Greening Research Bears Fruit – 9/15/2009
After watching helplessly for four years as a fatal disease marched relentlessly across the state, taking out thousands of grove acres, Florida citrus growers may shortly have some new weapons citrus greening. [Read More]

Bishop is county's agricultural advocate – 9/14/2009
If anyone has her finger on the pulse of Highlands County, it's Susie Bishop. [Read More]

Haines City Citrus Growers Association looks back at first 100 years – 9/13/2009
Those who worked to make the local citrus industry what it is today - from grove owners and fruit pickers to local dignitaries and statesman - gathered Saturday to reminisce and celebrate the centennial anniversary of the Haines City Citrus Growers Association. [Read More]

Florida Citrus Mutual targets OJ dumping – 9/13/2009
Florida's largest citrus trade organization said last week that it will continue to evaluate import data while investigating the possibility of petitioning the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) to initiate a full anti-dumping investigation against a Brazilian orange juice processor. [Read More]

Sacramento psyllids test negative for HLB – 9/12/2009
The California citrus industry heaved another sign of relief after tests on Asian citrus psyllids and psyllid nymphs found in Sacramento were negative for the bacterial disease, huanglongbing also known as HLB. [Read More]

Mutual Continues to Target Brazilian OJ Dumping – 9/9/2009
Florida’s largest citrus trade organization said today that it will continue to evaluate import data while investigating the possibility of petitioning the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) to initiate a full anti-dumping investigation against a Brazilian orange juice processor. [Read More]

BRAZIL CONTESTS US SURCHARGES ON ORANGE JUICE – 9/9/2009
Brazil has launched a complaint against the US’ method of determining the extent of trade violations, the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced last month. [Read More]

NOMINATIONS SOUGHT FOR THE FLORIDA CITRUS HALL OF FAME – 9/8/2009
Nominations are being sought for potential inductees to The Florida Citrus Hall of Fame, with induction ceremonies scheduled to take place on Friday, March 5, 2010 at Florida Southern College in Lakeland. Eligible nominees are those distinguished leaders who have made significant contributions to the Florida citrus industry in any of the following fields: pioneers, harvesting, packing, processing, marketing, scientific and/or educational areas. [Read More]

Citrus Low-Volume Sprays for Psyllid, HLB Control Addressed – 9/7/2009
Low-volume pesticide sprays to control the psyllid that spreads HLB, or citrus greening disease, have become very popular with many growers. However, there are special considerations for low-volume sprays; University of Florida entomologist Lukasz Stelinski addresses some of them in these reports. [Read More]

Apartment-style Farmworker Housing Gets County OK – 9/5/2009
After two years of tense debate, county officials have put their seal of approval on a plan to allow apartment style farmworker housing. [Read More]

Biofuels may become local alternative to citrus – 9/4/2009
In rural areas of St. Lucie County, large areas of land previously used for growing citrus remain vacant. [Read More]

Citrus King 'Duke' Crittenden Laid to Rest – 9/3/2009
Citrus magnate Earl “Duke” Crittenden was laid to rest today. [Read More]

The Insider: Canker, Shmanker – 9/3/2009
Florida's fresh citrus growers and shippers are more optimistic the USDA will lift its canker quarantine since California's influential citrus industry decided to stay on the sidelines. [Read More]

Farmworker Housing Rules OK – 9/3/2009
County commissioners voted 5-0 Wednesday to approve new regulations for the development of farmworker housing. [Read More]

Asian citrus psyllids pop up in three new locations – 9/2/2009
A pest considered a dangerous threat to California citrus groves has been detected in three new locations, leading to eradication programs in two locations and intensified trapping in another. [Read More]

Labor Housing: Hear From Public – 9/2/2009
Did you know that a labor-housing complex may be coming to your neighborhood without your knowledge and without your ability to go before the Polk County Commission to give your input? [Read More]

Citrus magnate Earl "Duke" Crittenden dies – 9/1/2009
Orlando citrus magnate Earl "Duke" Crittenden left some giant footprints across Florida history, from orange groves and statewide politics to his alma mater, the University of Florida, friends and associates said Monday. [Read More]

Sen. Nelson Meets with Mutual Members During Polk Visit – 9/1/2009
Health care reform will pass Congress this year, but without many of the provisions in the House bill and without a public option. [Read More]

California ag authorities say dangerous citrus pest now found as far north as Los Angeles – 8/28/2009
A pest that can carry a fatal citrus disease has been found in Los Angeles County, stoking fears that California's $1.6 billion citrus industry could be hit by a potentially devastating threat. [Read More]

St. Lucie workshop on biofuels attracts citrus growers, others – 8/28/2009
Instead of growing acres of citrus trees or vegetables, Treasure Coast growers may some day be producing the fuel needed to run cars and trucks. [Read More]

DeSoto's county agent to retire after 30 years – 8/28/2009
From war-torn South Vietnam to the pasture land of Southwest Florida, Jim Selph has been a valuable asset to people and their agricultural endeavors. The end of August will bring a close to his 30 years of service to DeSoto County as its Extension Agent. Some know that position by an even older term, county agent. [Read More]

Citrus Shipping Ban May End – 8/28/2009
Florida's fresh fruit growers and shippers are on the verge of recapturing markets in California and other citrus-producing states and perhaps re-entering key export markets. [Read More]

OJ Dumping Case Nixed – 8/28/2009
The U.S. Department of Commerce has rejected a complaint by Florida Citrus Mutual charging a Brazilian orange juice processor with illegally dumping orange juice into the United States. [Read More]

Pipelines May Transport Juice From Cutrale to Coca-Cola – 8/27/2009
Juice for Coca-Cola's Simply Orange product line may not arrive by truck to the company's Main Street plant for much longer. [Read More]

Can local farmers harvest income from biofuel production? – 8/26/2009
The term “biofuels” probably won’t ring many bells with most of you. Yet growing crops that can be converted into vehicle fuel could drive a new economic future for the Treasure Coast. [Read More]

Dangerous citrus pest found in Los Angeles – 8/26/2009
A pest that can carry a fatal citrus disease has been found in Los Angeles County, stoking fears that California's $1.6 billion citrus industry could be hit by a potentially devastating threat. [Read More]

Citrus Expo Covers Greening – 8/23/2009
Citrus growers from around the state gathered at the 2009 Citrus Expo held Wednesday and Thursday at the Lee Civic Center in Fort Myers. [Read More]

Pests star in USDA ad campaign – 8/21/2009
Realizing it needs the public's awareness and cooperation, the agriculture industr is launching a $3 million advertising campaign to warn of the threats posed by invasive pests and diseases. [Read More]

Growers' Profits Getting Squeezed – 8/21/2009
Florida orange growers are getting smaller profits because juice processors and retailers are grabbing a larger share of U.S. orange juice market profits. [Read More]

Food Safety a Growing Issue in Groves – 8/21/2009
FORT MYERS | Mom told the truth about the health benefits of eating more fruits and vegetables, but she left out the downside about the rise in foodborne illness. [Read More]

The Pressure is on to Eradicate Deadly Organism Affecting Citrus Crops Worldwide – 8/12/2009
Americans may find a glass of their favorite breakfast staple, orange juice, hard to come by in the next few years if a certain bacteria has its way. According to a spokesperson with the Florida Citrus Mutual, Florida’s orange crop could shrink within five years by about 12%, to 140 million 90-pound boxes, as the state battles the tree-killing disease known as the “Citrus Greening Disease,” or Citrus Huanglongbing. [Read More]

Juice Rallies on Crop-Size Fears – 8/12/2009
Frozen concentrated orange juice prices set fresh 11-month highs as traders set their eyes on weather maps and on concerns that Florida's orange crop may be smaller than expected. [Read More]

State on Lookout for Dangerous Pest – 8/11/2009
The state is stepping up efforts to protect the citrus industry from a devastating pest. [Read More]

Food Safety Bill Benefits Everyone – 8/10/2009
If the United States Senate adopts the House version of a food safety bill, American consumers will have an additional measure of protection when it comes to consuming imported food products. [Read More]

Bids Open for Citrus Ad Agency – 8/10/2009
The Florida Department of Citrus is seeking bids from advertising agencies on a new, three-year contract to market Florida citrus products, primarily orange juice, with a renewal option of up to two years at the department's discretion. [Read More]

U.S. Senator Mel Martinez Announcing Resignation – 8/7/2009
Sen. Mel Martinez will announce Friday afternoon that he will resign as soon as someone is named to take his place, according to a report on CNN. [Read More]

Pest found in package had citrus disease – 8/5/2009
Tests on a bug found by a dog sniffing packages at a FedEx facility showed it carried a disease capable of devastating California's citrus industry, agricultural official said Wednesday. [Read More]

The War on Huanglongbing – 8/1/2009
It’s called the Asian Citrus Psyllid Project (ACP). After the initial detection of a citrus-crop threatening pest in a Lemon Grove tree last September, dozens of state, county and federal employees have surveyed more than 40,000 sites in San Diego, Orange, Riverside and Imperial Counties. [Read More]

Citrus group alleges more dumping – 8/1/2009
Florida’s largest citrus trade organization this week asserted that a major Brazilian orange juice processor continued to dump product into the United States market even after the Department of Commerce was notified of the activity. [Read More]

Citrus psyllid, greening disease march on in Mexico – 7/31/2009
For the first time, an Asian citrus psyllid trapped in Mexico has tested positive for Huanglongbing. The psyllid is a vector for Huanglongbing, also known as citrus greening disease, which kills citrus trees. [Read More]

Putnam praised for food safety leadership – 7/31/2009
Food safety legislation (HR 2749) passed in the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday with broad bipartisan support (283 in support, 142 opposed), having recovered from a procedural stumble Wednesday. [Read More]

Florida citrus group offers evidence of juice-dumping by Brazil's Citrovita – 7/29/2009
Florida's largest citrus trade organization has new data to back up its claim that a Brazilian orange juice exporter is illegally dumping juice on the U.S. market. [Read More]

El Nino May Ease Worst Texas Drought, Cut Florida Storm Risk – 7/29/2009
The return of an El Nino climate pattern to the Pacific Ocean may relieve the worst Texas drought in 90 years and may reduce the threat of hurricanes ravaging orange groves in Florida. [Read More]

Florida's citrus growers weather trying times – 7/29/2009
Growers and packers of Florida’s signature crop are being battered on all sides by destructive diseases that are thrashing groves, higher production costs, high juice inventories and low consumer demand for high-priced orange juice. [Read More]

FCM Strengthens Dumping Petition against Citrovita – 7/28/2009
Florida’s largest citrus trade organization today asserted that a major Brazilian orange juice processor continued to dump product into the United States market even after the Department of Commerce was notified of the activity. [Read More]

State wants water from Deseret Ranches' lake – 7/27/2009
An attempt by state regulators to take control of a reservoir in remote corners of Orange and Osceola counties could trigger another big battle in Central Florida's war over water. [Read More]

Citrus remains a key industry in Florida's economy – 7/25/2009
I am writing in response to a July 19 letter that questions the value of the jobs created by the Florida citrus industry. [Read More]

Texas-sized research to save Florida's citrus industry? – 7/25/2009
Will what worked in a Texas agriculture laboratory work in the fields of Florida? [Read More]

Juice by the tankful – 7/24/2009
A business started by moving milk from California to Hawaii has relocated to Port Manatee to start transporting more Florida orange juice. [Read More]

Carey Baker Makes Pitch To Voters – 7/24/2009
Florida Senator Carey Baker was in Washington County Thursday night to talk with supporters gathered for dinner at the Clark Shed. [Read More]

Albritton running away with District 66 fundraising – 7/23/2009
So far, the big dog in the District 66 State Representative race is Ben Albritton. In fact, the Wauchula citrus grower is the only visible candidate. [Read More]

It's the 'worst of times' for area farmers – 7/22/2009
Ralph Garrison, president of the Manatee County Farm Bureau and owner of Suncoast Nursery in East Manatee, says many of his nursery shade houses are empty or only partially full because the market for his plants is so slow these days. [Read More]

Legal status of US workers' an immigration issue – 7/21/2009
The Senate Democrat leading the push for immigration changes said Tuesday verifying the legal status of workers will require citizens and immigrants to prove they are legally eligible to hold jobs in the U.S. [Read More]

Subsidiary of Brazilian orange growing giant to build storage tanks at Tampa port – 7/21/2009
A subsidiary of the world's largest orange grower and processor will build a tank farm at Tampa's port to store and ship fresh Florida juice overseas. [Read More]

Crist names three to fill vacant board seats at South Florida Water Management District – 7/21/2009
With his massive sugar land purchase in the balance, Gov. Charlie Crist today named three relative unknowns to fill seats on the water board overseeing the Everglades restoration and South Florida's faucets. [Read More]

Letter: Does citrus industry really provide valuable jobs? – 7/19/2009
While reading the July 10 edition of the News, I came upon a brief article titled “Rooney request for citrus money in bill.” At first read, it seemed Rep. Tom Rooney was taking care of the citizens of his district, as all good legislators do. Rooney stated, “We cannot afford to lose the valuable jobs the industry provides for our state.” [Read More]

The Insider: A Sweet Song In Your Head – 7/17/2009
Ken Keck, executive director of the Florida Department of Citrus, was so pleased with the new in-store radio marketing program in May that he's expanded it into the 2009-10 marketing year, beginning next month. [Read More]

US: CALS genomicists aim to save citrus from 'greening' – 7/17/2009
It has been a dismal two decades for the 450-year-old Florida citrus industry: On top of the constant pressure from hurricanes, a citrus canker epidemic shrank U.S. citrus production by roughly one-third in the 1990s, despite an eradication campaign by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. [Read More]

Citrus Grower Joins Race For Florida House Seat – 7/17/2009
Ben Albritton may live in Hardee County, but he also is counting on his high profile in Polk and Highlands counties to help him win a House District 66 seat in the Florida Legislature. [Read More]

Q & A with Joel Nelson, California Citrus Mutual – 7/17/2009
The Packer will regularly run excerpts of online chats that are published in The Packer’s Fresh Talk blog. The Packer’s National Editor Tom Karst on July 15 chatted with Joel Nelsen, president of California Citrus Mutual, Exeter. You can read the entire chat at www.thepacker.com/freshtalk. [Read More]

Brevard juice drinker feels tricked by company – 7/16/2009
Many orange-juice drinkers, myself included, have had the wool pulled over their eyes by Coca-Cola's Minute Maid "premium" orange juice. The price is appropriate for premium juice, but on the front of the package very small type reads, "From Concentrate." Not a very honest way to do business, in my opinion. [Read More]

That not-from-concentrate orange juice? It's not so good for your budget – 7/13/2009
The orange juice industry is picking an extra dollar from your grocery budget, and you probably feel good about it. But you shouldn't. [Read More]

Five lawsuits accuse growers of cheating Florida farmworkers out of pay – 7/11/2009
Citrus and vegetable growers from Immokalee to Avon Park have been hit with five lawsuits by farmworkers who say they were cheated out of pay. [Read More]

Rooney's request for $43.6 million for citrus industry money included in bill – 7/10/2009
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Tom Rooney’s request of $43.6 million for Florida’s citrus industry has been included in the 2010 Agriculture Appropriations bill that is headed to the Senate. [Read More]

Non-Grower Still Was Fla. Citrus Juice Giant – 7/10/2009
Edwin L. Moore did as much as anyone in the 20th century to transform the Florida citrus industry, yet he never grew a single orange. [Read More]

Schumer: Immigration bill to be ready by Labor Day – 7/9/2009
The lead Democrat steering an immigration overhaul through the Senate said Wednesday he expects to have a bill ready by Labor Day that is more generous to highly skilled immigrant workers than those who are lower skilled and is tough on future waves of illegal immigration. [Read More]

Democrat Scott Maddox to challenge Adam Putnam for Florida agriculture commissioner job – 7/9/2009
Much of Florida's political world has viewed U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam, R-Lakeland, as a virtual shoo-in to be the next commissioner of agriculture and consumer services. But now it looks like Democrats could wind up with a hard-charging contender to take on Putnam: former Tallahassee mayor and state Democratic chairman Scott Maddox. [Read More]

Pest threat puts citrus researchers on high alert – 7/8/2009
When botanist Tracy Kahn heard last summer that the Asian citrus psyllid had been found in San Diego County, she said she felt sick, but not surprised. The pest has been showing up in citrus growing regions throughout the world, devastating commercial production. [Read More]

Maddox to run for Florida cabinet post – 7/8/2009
Former Florida Democratic Party Chairman Scott Maddox will file paperwork to enter the agriculture commissioner race next week, ending a four-year break from politics. [Read More]

Growers Opt Out of Segment – 7/2/2009
Appropriately for this time of year, Florida's fresh fruit growers and shippers declared independence from the orange- and grapefruit-juice segments that dominate the state's citrus industry. [Read More]

New campaign for Florida OJ starts in July – 6/29/2009
The Florida Department of Citrus will debut a new TV commercial next month touting the advantages of drinking a daily glass of orange juice. [Read More]

Changing canker science – 6/29/2009
Just how much has the science of citrus canker changed in two years? The answer to that question – as judged by federal authorities – will determine whether Florida fresh citrus can be sold in other U.S. citrus states in 2009-10. [Read More]

Florida confronts greening threat – 6/29/2009
Florida’s citrus industry has committed millions of dollars to research citrus greening, a disease that is threatening the sector's future. [Read More]

Locals, Wheeler and McKenna elected to Florida Citrus Mutual board – 6/29/2009
Mark Wheeler of Lake Placid has been elected as a southern area vice president at the Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference. [Read More]

Citrus Demand Lessening And Growers Are Hurting – 6/27/2009
After the hurricanes of 2004, citrus growers were philosophical. Sure, 175 million boxes of citrus were just 58 percent of what they had produced seven years ago, but if the supply went down, and demand remained the same, prices would go up. Profits would even out. [Read More]

Citrus Commission Seeks New Director for OJ Ads – 6/27/2009
The Florida Citrus Commission approved an extension for up to one year of a controversial contract with Dallas-based advertising agency, the Richards Group. [Read More]

Peace River Packing Hits Milestone With One Million Cartons in 80th Season – 6/27/2009
For 80 years, the family business of Peace River Packing Company in Fort Meade has been packaging citrus, but this season was unlike any other. [Read More]

Florida may once again be able to ship citrus with canker – 6/26/2009
In the Florida citrus industry there are challenges and more challenges. After putting up a fight for years, growers may see one of those challenges go away next season. Florida’s citrus growers may soon win the right to ship fresh fruit marked by canker. [Read More]

Hurricanes. Freezes. Florida citrus industry will survive bad economy too, experts say – 6/26/2009
There’s no doubt Florida’s citrus growers are squeezed. Prices are down, inventories are up and orange juice consumption is declining. But borrowing from a famous quote by Mark Twain, Michael Sparks, the CEO of Florida Citrus Mutual, said rumors of the demise of Florida’s citrus industry “have been greatly exaggerated.” [Read More]

Commission Seeks Fed's Help – 6/25/2009
The Florida Citrus Commission agreed to push for a federal program that could raise up to $17 million a year for disease research. At the same time, the members agreed to abandon indefinitely a federal orange juice marketing program. [Read More]

Growers Faced Many Losses This Year – 6/25/2009
Rumors of the death of the Florida citrus industry have been greatly exaggerated, Mike Sparks told journalists at the beginning of his annual "State of Florida Citrus" address Thursday. [Read More]

Students get close to citrus-harming bugs – 6/25/2009
A group of students from the Lighthouse for the Blind visited the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Citrus Research and Education Center Tuesday to learn about the citrus industry. [Read More]

Disease shrinking Florida orange crop - growers – 6/25/2009
Florida's orange crop could shrink by about 12 percent, to 140 million 90-pound boxes, within five years as the state battles the tree-killing disease known as greening, an official with the state's largest growers group said on Thursday. [Read More]

Despite Challenges, Citrus Still a Major Economic Engine in Florida – 6/25/2009
Citrus growers continue to face many challenges, however Florida’s signature crop remains a powerful economic engine that supports dozens of rural communities across the state, according to the head of Florida’s largest citrus trade organization. [Read More]

Biofuel buzz builds around jatropha tree; backers say it beats ethanol, but some are skeptical – 6/24/2009
What some see as the biofuel of the future starts out as short, thick stems with a few leaves sticking out at sharp angles. But in just a few years, they will be tall, leafy trees with bright green spherical pods spilling their seeds all over the ground. [Read More]

Department of Citrus Move to Bartow Planned for November – 6/24/2009
The Florida Department of Citrus expects to move to Bartow in November. [Read More]

Citrus Commission to Consider New Ad Agency – 6/24/2009
\If a Florida Department of Citrus advertising contract has become a political football, Executive Director Ken Keck will call for a punt. [Read More]

Field trials started on citrus trees resistant to canker and greening – 6/24/2009
Southern Gardens Citrus, based in Clewiston, has planted its first trees that could be resistant to canker and greening. [Read More]

Citrus Entrepreneur, watchdog Reynolds dies – 6/24/2009
Carl Reynolds was a gentleman who always stood whenever a woman entered the room. [Read More]

Celebrating Groveland's sweet (and juicy) past – 6/21/2009
The folks sipping orange-sherbet punch recently at the Groveland Historical Museum enjoyed friendly conversation, but their purpose was more than social: They paid tribute to women who worked in the citrus industry—especially at the plant they call "B 'n W," which once boasted one of the largest citrus payrolls in the state. [Read More]

Department of Citrus in Search of New Funding – 6/20/2009
Given all the competing economic interests among the major segments of Florida citrus - growers, juice processors and fresh fruit packinghouses, plus divisions between large and small operators - it's not surprising that the industry often operates like a dysfunctional family. [Read More]

Citrus Conference Features Info Sessions, Urban Meyer – 6/20/2009
Florida citrus growers and industry representatives can register for the 2009 Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference (FCIAC) to be held June 24-26 at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa in Bonita Springs. [Read More]

Citrus pest threatening SJ Valley unites officials – 6/19/2009
Agricultural officials from three countries are pledging to work together to stop the spread of a bug threatening California's citrus crop, most of which is grown in the San Joaquin Valley. The Asian citrus psyllid, discovered in Mexico and San Diego County last year, can transmit lethal citrus greening as it moves from tree to tree feeding on sap. The disease already has caused billions of dollars in losses across Florida. [Read More]

Georgia quarantine helps protect America's citrus crop – 6/18/2009
Georgia has been put under a federal quarantine to help prevent the spread of a devastating citrus disease. [Read More]

Ben Albritton to run for state rep – 6/16/2009
The 2010 political season started early in the Heartland when Ben Albritton announced he's running for state representative in District 66, which includes all of Hardee County, plus a portion of northwest Sebring, Avon Park and south-central Polk County. [Read More]

FDOC Bidding Process Debated – 6/12/2009
Gov. Charlie Crist and state Sen. J.D. Alexander have given their considerable political heft to an effort forcing the Florida Department of Citrus to put its largest contract - a multi-year, multimillion-dollar deal for advertising services - up for competitive bidding. [Read More]

Orange Crop Up 2 Million – 6/11/2009
The 2008-09 Florida orange crop increased 2 million boxes to 159.6 million boxes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported Wednesday. [Read More]

HLB Likely in Florida Citrus Years Before 2005 – 6/11/2009
HLB (citrus greening disease) was likely in Florida citrus groves years before being confirmed in 2005, University of Florida geneticist and plant breeder Fred Gmitter believes. [Read More]

Crist signs bill to help state strike quickly against invasive plants, insects – 6/10/2009
Gov. Charlie Crist on Tuesday signed into law a measure to help Florida strike more quickly against invasive plants and insects, a boon to the state's agriculture business. [Read More]

Power shift might affect water wars – 6/10/2009
The board that watches over water and wetlands policy for Central Florida is preparing to give up a big share of its authority and a measure of public comment on some of the most controversial issues under its jurisdiction. [Read More]

NTSB Releases Smoak Crash Report – 6/10/2009
The National Transportation Safety Board released its "factual" report, which includes witness accounts and wreckage examination, of the June 20, 2008 plane crash that killed pilot Mason Smoak and passenger David Maehr. [Read More]

Federal grants inspire farmers to add value – 6/5/2009
Gone are the days when simply growing a crop or milking cows is enough. To make profits now, farmers often plant three crops or opt out of the business entirely, selling their land to developers. [Read More]

Mutual Member Schulz to Be Inducted into Polk Schools Hall of Fame Today – 6/5/2009
Today, four members will join the esteemed Polk County Public Schools Hall of Fame. [Read More]

Florida citrus meeting tackles more than just greening – 6/3/2009
Reconfigured educational sessions will help highlight the festivities as Florida citrus grower-shippers stay busy at the 2009 Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference in Bonita Springs, Fla., June 24-26. [Read More]

A Not So Shocking Look at Citrus – 6/1/2009
For several years, the advertising for a Lake Wales citrus processor has featured images of happy, clean-cut grove workers handing off cartons of Florida's Natural orange juice, their hands magically moving through an orange tree into the supermarket itself and handing the OJ to a waiting consumer. [Read More]

'Green' Market May Aid Farmers – 5/29/2009
A federal cap-and-trade system now being debated in Congress could create a new revenue source worth at least $100 million for farmers and ranchers in Florida and the U.S. [Read More]

UF, Department of Citrus to partner on research foundation – 5/29/2009
The Florida Department of Citrus has partnered with the University of Florida to create the Citrus Research and Development Foundation to oversee projects and manage citrus disease research money. [Read More]

Florida citrus growers seek change to quarantine – 5/22/2009
Hoping to regain access to markets closed by a federal quarantine, Florida citrus growers are waiting for a U.S. Department of Agriculture rule change that could allow them to ship their fruit to Arizona, California and Texas. [Read More]

Selling OJ Focuses on Grocery Stores – 5/20/2009
Look for the roll-away display that sounds like Tom Selleck and smells like an orange in a supermarket near you. [Read More]

2010 Florida Citrus show dates announced – 5/20/2009
The 2010 Florida Citrus Show, formerly the Indian River Citrus Seminar, will be held Jan. 27-28, 2010, at the Havert L. Fenn Center in Fort Pierce. [Read More]

Orange harvest still on track for 157.6M box yield – 5/13/2009
The federal government's May forecast for Florida's 2008-09 orange harvest showed no change to the 157.6 million-box crop forecast a month earlier, which would be down 7 percent from last season. [Read More]

USDA Reports No Change in the 2008-2009 Florida Orange Crop – 5/12/2009
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 More]

Fatal Greening Could Wipe Out Florida Fruit – 5/9/2009
The wolf has arrived at the door of Florida citrus, and its name is citrus greening. [Read More]

Citrus Growers in Florida, Brazil Ally to Fight Greening – 5/9/2009
Brazil and Florida battle fiercely in the global orange juice market, but growers from both countries have allied in the war against greening. [Read More]

Scientific Research, Time Needed if Greening to be Overcome – 5/9/2009
The future of Florida citrus will be determined in the lab, not the grove. [Read More]

Bad Neighbors Impair Battle to Control Citrus Greening – 5/9/2009
For most homeowners, bad neighbors are a mere nuisance. For citrus growers trying to protect their groves against destruction by citrus greening, bad neighbors can put them out of business. [Read More]

Putnam Backs Growers, Trying to Fund Research – 5/9/2009
Even before spending the first dime of roughly $20 million on citrus greening research this year, Florida citrus leaders knew it would take years of more research to find a solution to the fatal bacterial disease. [Read More]

Thinking about sneaking citrus trees out of Florida? Think Again. – 5/8/2009
Moving out of state? Don't take your citrus tree with you. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said Friday it is stepping up enforcement of a quarantine aimed at stopping the spread of citrus greening disease. [Read More]

Growers petition on juice dumping - Fla. group files claim against Brazilian processor – 5/6/2009
Florida’s largest citrus grower trade organization has filed a petition with the U.S. Department of Commerce alleging that a Brazilian citrus processer violated trade law by “dumping” orange juice into the domestic marketplace. [Read More]

Natalie's Orchid Island Juice Company selected as best tasting orange jucie by Real Simple Magazine – 5/5/2009
Score another victory for Natalie’s Orchid Island Juice Company for being selected Best Tasting in a recent taste-test by Real Simple magazine. The nationally acclaimed magazine taste-tested 129 one hundred per cent juice products. According to the taste off by Real Simple staffers, Natalie’s Orchid Island Juice Company’s Gourmet Pasteurized Orange Juice won top honors. According to the staff taste testers, the Best Tasting orange juice was “Pulpy and delicious, this juice reminded one of ‘eating an orange – without getting sticky hands.”. No other 100% orange juice product made the short list of Best Tasting juice products. [Read More]

Business owner squeezing to keep jobs – 5/5/2009
You've heard the phrase, when life gives you lemons - make lemonade. Ken Livingston is a Lee County business owner who’s decided to make orange juice. [Read More]

Orange juice futures reach 6-month high – 5/5/2009
Orange juice futures prices continued to rise this morning after closing Monday at a six-month high, but the impact on juice prices at grocery stores remains uncertain. [Read More]

Citrus Memorial – 5/3/2009
Barbara Perrotti, an artist from Ormond Beach, watched as one of the area's historic buildings, the 1921 Bob White Packing House in De Leon Springs, got slated for demolition. [Read More]

Students learn about the food they eat at AgriFest – 5/2/2009
A new program is helping thousands of Polk County fourth-graders learn where the water they drink and the food they eat comes from. [Read More]

Florida Citrus Mutual files dumping petition against Brazilian processor – 5/2/2009
Florida’s largest citrus grower trade organization Thursday filed a petition with the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) after a major Brazilian pro-cessor allegedly violated trade law by dumping orange juice into the domestic marketplace. [Read More]

Citrus group files petition against Brazilian processor – 5/2/2009
Florida's largest citrus grower trade organization Thursday filed a petition with the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) after a major Brazilian processor violated trade law by dumping orange juice into the domestic marketplace, according to a press release. [Read More]

FCM Files Dumping Petition against Brazilian OJ Processor – 4/30/2009
Florida’s largest citrus grower trade organization Thursday filed a petition with the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) after a major Brazilian processor violated trade law by dumping orange juice into the domestic marketplace. [Read More]

It's not just grapefruit juice – 4/30/2009
Grapefruit juice provides many nutrients, such as vitamin C and the phyto (plant) chemical called lycopene. But chemicals in grapefruit also interfere with the enzymes that break down (metabolize) certain drugs in your digestive system. [Read More]

No more free O.J. for visitors to Lake welcome center – 4/29/2009
If a day without orange juice is like a day without sunshine, then Lake County visitors should brace for cloudy skies. [Read More]

Citrus grower's family killed in fire – 4/28/2009
Three people killed in a house fire Saturday on Little Gasparilla Island were members of a prominent Polk County family. [Read More]

Putnam Asks for Additional Citrus Greening Research Money – 4/27/2009
The federal government must dramatically increase the amount of funding to save America's citrus crop from the disease known as "citrus greening," U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam, R-Bartow, told the U.S. House Appropriations subcommittee on agriculture Wednesday. [Read More]

Putnam calls for aggressive effort to save nation’s citrus crop – 4/22/2009
Congressman Adam Putnam (R-Fla.) today told a U.S. House panel that the federal government must dramatically increase the amount of funding it is providing if it is to save America’s citrus crop from a disease known as “citrus greening.” Putnam spoke on behalf of 27 members of Congress who have signed a letter calling for the Appropriations subcommittee on agriculture to add $64 million to the effort to expand methods of diagnosing and controlling the disease. [Read More]

Bowen Leaves Race for Ag Commissioner – 4/20/2009
Marty Bowen, former speaker pro temp of the Florida House, businesswoman and member of a Winter Haven citrus family, announced today that she is withdrawing from the race for commissioner of agriculture. [Read More]

Tropicalia: Agriculture laid the foundation for today's Lee County – 4/20/2009
Once upon a time, this was farm country. Cattle roamed and citrus fruited throughout Lee County. Other crops thrived too — peppers, pineapples and potatoes, to name just a few — and chickens and hogs were as common in backyards as dogs and cats are today. [Read More]

Florida farmland, especially orange groves, loses some value – 4/15/2009
The value of Florida farmland fell last year, with citrus acreage taking one of the steeper tumbles in the face of the weaker national and state economy, slower state population growth and declining citrus prices. [Read More]

Florida still hopes to produce ethanol from citrus waste – 4/14/2009
Your tax dollars have been spent on alternative fuels, including $25 million in grants. The Legislature now requires our gasoline to be spiked with ethanol. Unfortunately, Florida alternative fuel companies are struggling. [Read More]

Everglades deal shrinks by $800 Million – 4/8/2009
Florida is cutting $800 million from the deal to acquire land for Everglades restoration from the United States Sugar Corp. [Read More]

Some Fla. Growers Turning to Peaches – 4/8/2009
Ah, Florida, land of juicy, mouth-watering peaches. [Read More]

Oranges Go To Those in Need – 4/8/2009
A pile of oranges covered a section of Christ Our Redeemer Lutheran Church's basketball court. Within an hour, the 25,000 pounds of fruit were bagged and ready to go into trucks and vans for the hungry. [Read More]

Guest Worker Program for Agriculture Sought – 4/6/2009
Unemployment is soaring. Yet advocates and Congressional leaders want a guest worker program that would legalize tens of thousands of undocumented agriculture workers. [Read More]

Agriculture in the Classroom: Ag Literacy Day – 4/6/2009
Recently, staff from the Highlands Soil and Water Conservation District visited some of our local schools. "These Florida Farms!," a book written by Gary Seamans and illustrated by Mike Wright, is this year's pick to be read to students attending Heartland Christian School and Lake Placid Elementary School. This year marks the sixth annual Florida Agriculture Literacy Day, which is a program by Florida Agriculture in the Classroom, Inc. (FAITC) and is designed to help teachers and students gain a better understanding of Florida agriculture. The book was written for young children at a pre-school and elementary school level. [Read More]

Citrus industry eyes juice dumping – 4/4/2009
The Florida citrus industry is keeping a close eye on Brazilian juice producers to protect the United States market against possible dumping. [Read More]

Tropicana Line's Sales Plunge 20% Post-Rebranding – 4/3/2009
Tropicana's rebranding debacle did more than create a customer-relations fiasco. It hit the brand in the wallet. [Read More]

Citrus industry eyes possible juice dumping – 4/3/2009
The Florida citrus industry is keeping a close eye on Brazilian juice producers to protect the United States market against possible dumping. [Read More]

Trop50 worries citrus growers – 4/1/2009
Tropicana Products has a calorie-kind orange juice that will be hitting stores sometime this month. [Read More]

Tropicana rolls out new juice with stevia – 3/31/2009
Tropicana Products Inc. debuted its new Trop50 product -- juice with 50 percent less sugar and calories -- this week. [Read More]

Tropicana's switch shows we love you – 3/30/2009
Big companies sometimes have to do a quick two-step and sashay around a branding boo boo. Tropicana is in the midst of a do-si-do. [Read More]

Everglades land deal may be scaled back again – 3/27/2009
The tanking economy could force Florida to scale back its $1.34 billion deal to purchase land from U.S. Sugar Corp. to help restore the Everglades, a person close to the negotiations said Thursday. [Read More]

Florida Growers Wary of Getting Squeezed – 3/24/2009
Florida's largest citrus-producer representative is examining whether one or more Brazilian juice processors are dumping orange juice on the U.S. market below production costs, people familiar with the situation said. [Read More]

The Insider: Facebook Orange – 3/20/2009
The folks at Florida's Natural Growers in Lake Wales are nothing if not current, so they've brought social networking to Florida citrus. [Read More]

Citrus Greening Research Gets Another $2.5 Million – 3/19/2009
The Florida Citrus Commission Wednesday approved another $2.5 million to fight the fatal citrus greening disease, the state citrus industry's top priority. [Read More]

Citrus Commissioner Says He'll Run for Legislature – 3/19/2009
Citrus Commission Chairman Ben Albritton Jr. said today that he'll run for the Florida House seat Baxter Troutman will leave in 2010 when term limits force him out. [Read More]

New Citrus Imports Tax Seems Unlikely – 3/18/2009
Orange juice importers may get another year of free riding. Prospects for approval of a new state tax on orange juice imports that could generate approximately $4 million a year for the Florida Department of Citrus appear slim during the current legislative session, State Sen. J.D. Alexander, R-Lake Wales, told The Ledger this week. [Read More]

Citrus Research Foundation Approved – 3/18/2009
The University of Florida Board of Trustees on Tuesday approved creation of the Citrus Research and Development Foundation Inc., a new 'direct support organization' that will oversee research on combating citrus greening, a fatal bacterial disease. [Read More]

Belt-Tightening Alters Priorities For Orange Juice – 3/18/2009
Orange-juice snobs may wrinkle their nose at the thought of drinking anything other than a glass of fresh-squeezed, but the slumping economy has altered the buying habits of even high-end juice drinkers. [Read More]

Downsizing: Florida's Farms Are Getting Smaller in Size – 3/17/2009
Agriculture is becoming smaller, more profitable and more diverse, the recently released 2007 Census of Agriculture showed. [Read More]

Citrus Commission Meets – 3/17/2009
The Florida Citrus Commission will get an update Wednesday on more than $10 million in citrus greening research projects approved earlier this year. The meeting starts at 9 a.m. at the Florida Department of Citrus, 1115 E. Memorial Blvd., in Lakeland. [Read More]

Editorial: Amid economic doldrums, local farming could be bright spot on Treasure Coast – 3/17/2009
Citrus has dodged the development bullet, for now, but groves remain under siege from a host of budding environmental threats. [Read More]

Valencia crop forecast reduced; freeze blamed – 3/12/2009
Florida's orange crop will have fewer of the juice-producting Valencia variety, thanks to freezing temperatures that swept through the state earlier this year. [Read More]