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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 […]

Jim RosicaMay 18, 2016

The Florida Department of Citrus could get a pared-down budget that will result in staff cuts. The Citrus Commission, which oversees the department, meets Wednesday to consider the $20.6 million spending plan. If approved, the department’s full-time employees would be reduced to 23 from 39. Commissioners won’t vote on that budget, but will offer “feedback,” department spokeswoman Shelley Rossetter said. The […]

Jim RosicaMay 10, 2016

Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam isn’t yet sanguine about the future of Florida citrus. He reacted Tuesday to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s latest crop forecast for 2015-16. The feds now expect 81.1 million boxes of oranges, up from 76 million boxes last month, according to Putnam. A so-far incurable disease called citrus greening is attacking fruit, causing it to turn green and […]

Jim RosicaApril 8, 2016

Faced with a call from Florida’s leading growers for the state’s Department of Citrus to “be scaled back considerably,” Gov. Rick Scott has put restrictions on the nearly $7.7 million in general revenue given to the agency in the 2016-17 state budget. One condition, The Lakeland Ledger reported Friday, is that the Governor’s Office will look […]

Tag: citrus greening

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

Citrus Department facing smaller budget, staff cuts

Adam Putnam still cautious on citrus outlook

Rick Scott clamping down on finances at state citrus agency