WUFT News News and Public Media for North Central Florida from the University of Florida in Gainesville
The final forecast of the 2016-2017 season for Florida's struggling citrus industry shows the orange crop falling 16 percent from the previous season.
Read More »Florida Citrus Harvest Lowest In Decades
Lawmakers Poised To Pass Marijuana Compromise
House and Senate leaders might be divided on issues that forced them to return to the Capitol this week, but they’re in agreement about pot. Legislation to carry out a voter-approved constitutional amendment broadly legalizing medical marijuana is on the fast track, after Gov. Rick Scott added the issue to …
Read More »2018 Looms As Scott, Putnam Ready For Session
In appearances Tuesday before reporters and editors, Republican leaders Gov. Rick Scott and Adam Putnam laid out their legislative agendas, while declining to speculate on their political futures.
Read More »Florida Orange, Grapefruit Estimates Drop By Double Digits
The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported last week that Florida was only expected to produce 70 million boxes of oranges during the 2016-2017 growing season. Last season, Florida produced 81.5 million boxes.
Read More »Citrus Decline Continues In Florida
Citrus production continues to plummet in Florida, as the first forecast for the 2016-2017 growing season indicates a 14 percent drop in the state’s orange crop. The forecast Wednesday from the U.S. Department of Agriculture predicts that Florida growers will harvest enough oranges to fill 70 million 90-pound boxes in the coming …
Read More »Citrus Disease Still Harms Industry Despite New Findings
New procedures are being implemented to combat greening, a serious citrus disease that affects crops worldwide. The disease is particularly detrimental in Florida, as the state’s citrus industry has an estimated worth $10.9 billion, according to the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences’ website. According to Tom …
Read More »Florida’s Orange Crop Drops 16 Percent
Florida's citrus season will produce enough oranges to fill 81.5 million 90-pound boxes this year, down nearly 16 percent from the prior season. A major cause for the decrease in oranges has been citrus greening, a disease that is deadly to the crop.
Read More »Citrus Agency Cuts Staff, Keeps Juice Flowing For Florida Visitors
Free orange juice will continue to be available to travelers at Florida welcome centers as the Department of Citrus squeezes staff to help the embattled industry.
Read More »Forecast Improves For Citrus Industry
The U.S. Department of Agriculture predicts a slight increase in Florida's citrus crop during June.
Read More »Citrus Department Proposes Staff, Tax Cuts
Florida citrus growers could save more than $11 million in taxes they pay on boxes of oranges and grapefruit under a proposed Department of Citrus budget that would trim jobs to meet the demands of a troubled industry.
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