Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersMarch 26, 2018

A couple weeks out from his anticipated April 9 announcement about running for the U.S. Senate, Gov. Scott touted budget investments in Florida’s environment and agriculture during a stop Monday at Wekiwa Springs State Park in Apopka. While there he said little about his potential U.S. Senate plans, not commenting the significance of the move […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 9, 2018

Friday’s Continuing Resolution in Washington brought some benefits to Florida, which Gov. Rick Scott noted Friday. “For months, we have worked to ensure that Florida is provided the needed federal relief following Hurricane Irma. In October, I personally traveled to Washington to begin this conversation with Florida’s entire Congressional delegation, Congressional leadership and various federal officials. […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 8, 2018

It shouldn’t come as any surprise that the feds this week announced “yet another decrease in the size of the Florida orange crop this season due to Hurricane Irma.” The U.S. Department of Agriculture‘s latest report pegs orange production for 2017-18 at 45 million boxes—”a 35 percent decrease over last season and the lowest crop […]

Danny McAuliffeJanuary 12, 2018

Recent Florida citrus estimates are steady for the first time since Hurricane Irma struck Florida. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s January estimates reflect no change from December’s, marking the first stable citrus forecast since the storm. The USDA in October forecasted 54 million boxes of oranges for 2017-2018 production. In November, that forecast dropped to 50 […]

Danny McAuliffeOctober 16, 2017

Could industrial hemp be Florida’s next big crop? Maybe. But it’s going to take two years to find out. Florida citrus is a crop plagued by citrus greening and recently battered by Hurricane Irma. The U.S. Department of Agriculture released 2017 Florida orange production forecasts last Thursday; it was bleak, and Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam hinted […]

Danny McAuliffeOctober 11, 2017

Hurricane Irma didn’t just rain on Florida’s agriculture industry – it poured. The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) painted a bleak picture for Florida crops in a Tuesday presentation to the House Agriculture and Property Rights Subcommittee. Irma caused an estimated $2.5 billion in damage. Grace Lovett, FDACS’ legislative affairs director, said the damage was […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 4, 2017

In the wake of Hurricane Irma’s epic flooding last month, Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam sounded a dire warning about Florida’s citrus crop. In Southwest Florida, 80 percent of an already diminished crop was lost, posing an “existential” threat to the sector, Putnam told WUSF last month. Gov. Scott talked to Putnam directly before a Jacksonville media availability […]

Associated PressOctober 4, 2017

State officials say Hurricane Irma caused more than $2.5 billion in damage to Florida’s agricultural community. Irma dealt Florida’s iconic orange crop the most devastating blow causing more than $760 million in damage. Beef cattle and dairy were next with $237 million and nearly $12 million respectively. The preliminary assessment was released Wednesday by Florida Commissioner […]

Associated PressSeptember 12, 2017

Florida fruit growers and farmers have just barely begun to assess the damage Hurricane Irma wrought on the state’s citrus, sugar cane and vegetable crops—but they expect it will be significant. With power and communications still out across much of Florida, officials said Tuesday that getting a full picture will take weeks. What remains unknown: […]

Jim RosicaJuly 13, 2017

The Florida Supreme Court Thursday dismissed a challenge of Gov. Rick Scott‘s veto of reimbursements to homeowners whose healthy citrus trees were torn down by the state. The homeowners had asked the court to undo Scott’s veto of more than $37 million by filing a petition for writ of mandamus, an order to an elected official to perform a certain […]

Tag: citrus
Image via AP.

Rick Scott touts environmental, agricultural money, teases April 9 event

Rick Scott lauds long-awaited citrus relief, Herbert Hoover dike money

Down and down it goes: Florida’s orange crop plummets

Stable, still dismal: Citrus forecast low but steady

On heels of citrus crisis, Florida talks hemp

Bleak outlook for Florida agriculture after Irma

Rick Scott addresses Florida’s citrus crisis

Hurricane Irma causes $2.5B in damage to Florida crops

Irma delivers punch to agriculture

Squeezed: Supreme Court denies challenge of citrus veto