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Citrus crop production trending down again slightly

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The latest estimatesĀ show “a slight decrease” in Florida orange productionĀ to 71 million boxes for the 2016-17 season, according to theĀ Florida Department of Citrus. The department on Thursday shared the results of the most recentĀ U.S. Department of Agriculture forecast, the first in 2017. The stateā€™s citrus industry has been hurt by theĀ citrus greening epidemic.Ā The so-farĀ incurable disease is attacking fruit, causing it to turn green and bitter, and eventually killing the tree. Floridaā€™s famous oranges are most at risk. “Despite the decrease,…

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USDA says Florida orange crop projected to hold steady

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oranges grove

Florida’s production of orange crop will hold steady at 72 million boxes for the 2016-17 season, theĀ U.S. Department of Agriculture reported Friday. The “all orange” forecast, equal toĀ 3.24 million tons, is “unchanged from last month butĀ down 12 percent from last season’s final utilization,” the department’s latest forecast says. Moreover, the Florida frozen concentrated orange juice (FCOJ) forecast for 2016-2017 is “down 2 percentĀ from last month but up 2 percent from last season’s final yield ofĀ 1.41 gallons per box.” But theĀ report…

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Citrus Department passes reduced budget

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State citrus commissioners have OK’d a pared-down preliminary budget for the Department of Citrus. The good news: It includes money for theĀ 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:Ā The preliminaryĀ budget includes salary reductions of $1.4 million.Ā The department “will go from 46 positions to 26 positions, with six vacant slots eliminated and 14 filled positions eliminated,” spokeswoman Shelley Rossetter said. TheĀ Florida Citrus Commission,…

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Feds predict 8 percent drop in Florida’s orange crop

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture has released a dire forecast for Florida’s orange crop. The estimate released Tuesday predicts that the 2015-2016 orange crop will be down 8 percent from the previous year. Officials predict the state’s orange production will be 74 million boxes. By comparison, in the 2012-2013 year, 133 million boxes were harvested. The newly released statistics show just how severely citrus greening has devastated Florida’s top fruit crop. Greening is spread by a gnat-sized insect called the…

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Florida’s orange crop to be smaller than anticipated

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture released a bleak estimate for the state’s citrus industry, saying that the 2014-2015 Florida orange crop will yield 96.4 million boxes of fruit, down from the 104 million boxes produced last year. The estimate released Tuesday represents a decline of 60 percent since the peak of citrus production at 244 million boxes in 1997-98. Florida agriculture commissioner Adam Putnam says it shows just how severely citrus greening has devastated Florida’s top fruit crop. Greening is…

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USDA sending more money to fight citrus greening

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Federal authorities are sending more money to help fight the citrus greening disease that is threatening Florida’s citrus industry. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Wednesday said his agency was offering $23 million for further research on greening. He made the announcement during a visit to an Orlando market that sells a wide range of fresh produce. The funding offer comes on top of another $23 million that was promised to research universities during the last fiscal year. Citrus greening…

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