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Jim RosicaMay 10, 2017

Another bag of mixed news for Florida’s signature crops: Orange production actually increased while grapefruit production has declined. That’s according to the latest forecast released Wednesday from the the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, or NASS. “The May report projects the state’s orange crop to increase to 68 million boxes for the 2016-17 season,” said a press […]

Jim RosicaApril 11, 2017

The bad news in citrus: “Grapefruit production declined.” The good news: “Florida orange production remained steady.” That’s the upshot of the latest forecast by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, according to the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC). “The April report projects the state’s orange crop to stay at 67 million boxes […]

Jim RosicaMarch 9, 2017

The forecast for Florida orange production has dropped again, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, down a whopping three million boxes. The March report, released Thursday, projects a reduction in the state’s orange crop to 67 million boxes. “Two million of that comes from the early and mid-season varieties, which are now fully harvested,” […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 9, 2017

Florida’s grapefruit crop held steady at nine million boxes, but its orange crop went down slightly, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture‘s February forecast. Thursday’s report projects a one million box reduction in the state’s orange crop to 70 million boxes. That’s after last month’s forecast also predicted a decrease. “Today’s forecast reflects a true utilization of […]

Staff ReportsFebruary 6, 2017

Congressman Vern Buchanan announced Monday federal money for citrus greening has been awarded to researchers working to find a cure for the devastating disease. In the most recent round of funding, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) awarded $13.6 million to citrus greening research projects. The funding was made possible by a USDA program the […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 12, 2017

The latest estimates show “a slight decrease” in Florida orange production to 71 million boxes for the 2016-17 season, according to the Florida Department of Citrus. The department on Thursday shared the results of the most recent U.S. Department of Agriculture forecast, the first in 2017. The state’s citrus industry has been hurt by the citrus greening epidemic. The so-far incurable disease […]

Jim RosicaDecember 30, 2016

From algebra to Zika, 2016 brought a plethora of material to the Capitol Press Corps. Trying to pick the top state government stories is a subjective pursuit, to say the least, but here are the FloridaPolitics.com picks for the passing year. In (kind of) chronological order: — Kevin McCarty ousted as state Insurance Commissioner, replaced by […]

Jim RosicaDecember 9, 2016

Florida’s production of orange crop will hold steady at 72 million boxes for the 2016-17 season, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported Friday. The “all orange” forecast, equal to 3.24 million tons, is “unchanged from last month but down 12 percent from last season’s final utilization,” the department’s latest forecast says. Moreover, the Florida frozen concentrated orange juice […]

Michael MolineNovember 14, 2016

Citrus greening may chase one of Florida’s largest landowners out of that industry. “We’re going to shift out if it and transition, probably, to cattle production,” Erik Jacobsen, president of Deseret Ranches, said in a speech in Tallahassee Monday to the Economic Club of Florida. Deseret, owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter […]

Jim RosicaJune 15, 2016

State citrus commissioners have OK’d a pared-down preliminary budget for the Department of Citrus. The good news: It includes money for the free orange and grapefruit juice travelers can get at the state’s official welcome centers on Interstates 10, 75 and 95 and U.S. 231. The bad news: The preliminary budget includes salary reductions of $1.4 million. The department […]

Tag: citrus greening
Donald Trump signs first executive orders of second term. Image via AP.

Reversal of fortune: Citrus forecast says oranges up, grapefruit down

Citrus forecast generally holds steady, USDA says

Orange, grapefruit crop forecasts take another hit

More bad news as Florida orange crop drops again

Vern Buchanan says citrus greening aid finally bearing fruit

Citrus crop production trending down again ‘slightly’

Jim Rosica’s review of top state government stories in 2016

USDA says Florida orange crop projected to hold steady

Blaming greening, Deseret Ranches foresees the end of its citrus production

Citrus Department passes reduced budget