Florida citrus growers have had their share of challenges, from disease to hurricanes. However, industry leaders are now turning to California to help bridge the gap.
“California has been serving a role in helping to continue to provide this really premium quality fresh, not from concentrate juice for some of our premium brands that we find in Florida and helping to keep that market access open,” said Dr. Maria Zansler, Director of Economic and Market Research with the Florida Department of Citrus.
Zansler says there are big profits to be had with citrus, adding California growers could boost their bottom lines by selling their fruit for juice.
“The leading sources of orange juice that Florida processors are receiving in the middle of Florida’s challenging supply issues are from Brazil and Mexico by and large, but there are these niche markets in California that can help supply that, and certainly as we’re working to shore up our production once again following terrible hurricane events, that is helping to keep that market supply going.”
Right now, the top orange on the market is valencia, but there is a slight decline. Zansler adds navel oranges are also put into “not from concentrate” juice as well.
October 30, 2024 03:52 PM
The German company Constellr is part of the John Deere Start-Up Collaborator Program in 2024. It plans to launch a geothermal satellite next year that will give farmers and ranchers better tools to monitor surface temperature from space.
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Meet FarmHER Debra Lockard, a third-generation Tennessee produce grower who splits her time running two farms in West Tennessee and teaching ag classes that promote sustainable farming practices in her Memphis community.
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FarmHER Kate Hitchcock joined us on the Market Day Report to discuss the upcoming episode of the show where Kirbe and the crew visit her family’s produce operation in California’s Salinas Valley, which premieres tomorrow, Sept. 24 at 9 PM ET only on RFD-TV.
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The FarmHER crew catches up with fifth-generation California sweet baby broccoli producer Kate Hitchcock and her team in the middle of the harvest season in the Salinas Valley.
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Kentucky Flower FarmHER Janet Dennison’s retirement project flourished into a thriving business, Mammoth Cave Transplants, in Kentucky. Learn about it and the beautiful ornamental plants she grows in this new episode of FarmHER.
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