Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

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 […]

Jim RosicaJune 26, 2017

Gov. Rick Scott responded Monday to a lawsuit brought by homeowners whose healthy citrus trees were torn down by the state, saying his veto of reimbursements to homeowners was “consistent with his constitutional authority.” The homeowners have asked the Florida Supreme Court to undo Scott’s veto of more than $37 million. The Republican-controlled Legislature agreed […]

Jim RosicaJune 9, 2017

Florida orange production went up a bit and grapefruit production leveled off, according to the latest forecast by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. The Florida Department of Citrus announced the estimates Friday. “The June report projects the state’s orange crop to increase by 500,000 boxes to 68.5 million for the 2016-17 season,” its press […]

Jim RosicaOctober 12, 2016

The federal government is forecasting a 14 percent decrease in Florida orange production next year and a drop in grapefruit of 11.5 percent. The National Agriculture Statistics Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture released its report Wednesday. In another sign of the citrus greening epidemic facing the industry, the service foresees yields of only 70 million boxes of […]

Anne LindbergMay 9, 2016

A six-county agency has taken the first step to trying a different approach to help needy Tampa Bay neighborhoods. The Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council unanimously voted Monday to have staff members discuss strategies with a representative of the Rutgers University Business School and its Center for Urban Entrepreneurship and Economic Development. It is unclear […]

Peter SchorschFebruary 3, 2016

The Clewiston-based U.S. Sugar Corp. has unveiled a new website, highlighting the work it does to protect the environment in the South Florida lands it plies to satisfy the nation’s sweet tooth. The new site, found at www.USSugar.com, outlines the company’s sugarcane and citrus operations and tells the story of its ongoing efforts to combine innovation […]

Tag: citrus
Debate party at Sports Grill Kendall. Image via AP.

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

Rick Scott says citrus veto is constitutionally valid

Latest forecast: Oranges up, grapefruit steady

Citrus production forecast remains in freefall

Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council may take on poverty as a regional issue

U.S. Sugar rolls out sweet new website