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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 production forecast remains in freefall

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The federal government is forecasting aĀ 14 percent decreaseĀ in Florida orange production next year and a drop in grapefruit of 11.5 percent. TheĀ 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 onlyĀ 70 million boxes of oranges and 9.6 million boxes of grapefruit, the state’s signature fruits. It was theĀ first citrus crop forecast for the 2016-2017 season.Ā  ā€œAlthough not unexpected, today’s…

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Citizen-scientists: Uncle Sam wants you to fight Zika!

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The mosquitoes that can spread Zika are already buzzing among us. The U.S. government could use some help figuring out exactly where. No experience is necessary for what the U.S. Department of Agriculture envisions as a nationwide experiment in citizen-science. Teenagers already have proven themselves up to the task in tryouts involving a small number of high school students and science teachers. Now it’s time for the Invasive Mosquito Project to scale up and fast, since Zika has been linked…

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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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Florida growers worry about Cuban imports

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Some of Florida’s agriculture experts say normalizing relations with Cuba could threaten the state’s citrus and vegetable crops. The Lakeland Ledger reported on Saturday that Florida growers fear lax inspections at U.S. Department of Agriculture border checkpoints will allow the importation of pests and fungal disease that would harm Florida crops. Members of the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association are schedule to discuss the issue at a meeting this month. Adam Putnam, Florida’s commissioner of agriculture, has sent letters to…

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