Florida orange juice production drops amid crop disease, low demand
In its juicy heyday, a glass of orange juice was a staple of a healthy breakfast. Orange crops flourished in Florida — the "Orange State."
Shannon Shepp, executive director of the state's Department of Citrus, agrees those were the "good old days," but she also knows nostalgia is no nutrient to grow a sunny future. While some industries have supply issues and some have demand issues, oranges have both.
Right now, supply is the greater challenge, Shepp said, due to a "terminal disease" that's been affecting citrus trees for two decades. Citrus greening is a bacterial infection spread by an Asian bug. It has blighted the state's orange industry, and although research is ongoing, there's no cure.
Over the last 20 years, production in Florida orange groves has plummeted 92%, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Demand for orange juice hit an all-time low last year, and this year is projected to be no better.
Over the years, consumer tastes changed. Concerns about sugar content have far fewer Americans drinking orange juice. At the industry's peak in the late 1990s, Florida produced 240 million boxes of oranges, according to the USDA.
Last year, just 17 million boxes were produced, Shepp said.
"It's a huge drop. We hold our breath on every crop forecast," she added.
This year's crop looked promising for farmers like Christian Spinosa, whose family's fifth-generation farm spans 800 acres. But last October, Hurricane Milton killed 40% of his Valencia oranges.
And now, there's a new threat: tariffs targeting Canada, the major importer of Florida oranges.
"Really it's our position that anybody who wants orange juice, we want them to have it," Shepp said.
Still, a defiant Spinsoa is fighting to make sure his family farm has a sixth generation to run it.
"Without a doubt, we can have America drinking orange juice. I don't envision a day where orange juice for breakfast is not a normal thing in America," Spinosa said.
Sen. Rand Paul says he thinks Supreme Court will uphold the Alien Enemies Act for deportations
George Clooney: The 2025 60 Minutes Interview
Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal on their Broadway "Othello"
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scientific American
23 minutes ago
- Scientific American
Fire Ant's—Here's How to Avoid It
Warnings of a potentially dangerous invasive ant have popped up on news sites and social media this week. You'd be forgiven for thinking a new threat had arrived. But this insect, the Asian needle ant (Brachyponera chinensis), is no newcomer—just a master of remaining inconspicuous. The ant is getting attention after University of Georgia (UGA) entomologist Dan Suiter issued a warning that its sting can be remarkably painful and sometimes cause a serious allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. The ant is not new or spreading any faster than it used to, Suiter says. Rather, as a UGA Cooperative Extension entomologist, he's been getting calls about people being stung by the ant and needing hospital care. With summer in full swing, the insect is active, and people are likely to be in the woods or in their gardens where they might encounter it, prompting Suiter to raise awareness of the species. 'By this time last year, I had fielded three calls of people who had been stung by an Asian needle ant—they knew it was an Asian needle ant—and suffered anaphylaxis,' Suiter says. The problem, he adds, is that the insect is small, black and nondescript. 'You're not thinking that 'this tiny little creature right here could have consequences if it stung me.'' On supporting science journalism If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today. The Asian needle ant is native to Japan, Korea and China. It arrived in the U.S. around or before the 1930s, probably in ships carrying plants and livestock 'before we even realized that is a great way to spread things around,' says Theresa Dellinger, a diagnostician at the Insect Identification Lab at Virginia Tech. It's not clear precisely where the ant has spread within the U.S., but it's plentiful in the Southeast and appears to range as far north as Massachusetts, according to sightings on the community science app iNaturalist. It's not often seen farther west than Missouri, probably because it's not well-adapted to arid conditions, Dellinger says. Studies have found that when Asian needle ants move into an area, they outcompete native ants, reducing ant diversity. These ants don't lay down pheromone trails to lead their colony to food, so you won't see them marching in a line like the little black ant (Monomorium minimum). Instead, when an Asian needle ant finds food, it will return to its colony, pick up another worker and physically carry it to the jackpot, says Christopher Hayes, an entomologist at North Carolina State University. And unlike fire ants, Asian needle ants don't build big nest mounds. Instead they love nesting in damp wood, such as fallen logs or wet mulch. While they aren't particularly aggressive, they will sting to protect their nest, making them a danger to the home gardener. Their sting is initially more painful than a fire ant sting, Hayes says, but also irritatingly persistent, like fiberglass under the skin. The pain can also come and go. Hayes's two-year-old son recently got a sting. The little boy was fine after a few minutes, Hayes says, but then woke up after midnight that night crying about the pain again. In their native range, Asian needle ant bites are associated with a 2 percent risk of anaphylaxis compared with a 0.5 to 1.5 percent risk from the bites of fire ants, Hayes says. So how should you react if you see a suspected Asian needle ant on you? Gently flick or brush it off, Hayes and Suiter say. If it does sting you, try to capture the ant for identification purposes if you can (though it will probably scurry away too quickly). If you start to experience hives, swelling of the lips or tongue or difficulty breathing, get to an emergency room because these symptoms are signs of anaphylaxis. If you suspect you have Asian needle ants on your property, you can snap a good photograph or collect an ant or two with tweezers to submit to your county agricultural agent for identification, Suiter says. There are no centralized entities mapping out the ants' spread, but Suiter says he hopes more public attention will spur more scientific research. Identification is particularly important for those who have had allergic reactions to bee and ant stings in the past. 'If people have a family member that suffers from anaphylaxis and knows it, and they carry around an Epipen,' he says, 'somebody like that needs to know what this ant looks like.'
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Just 2 oz. of this snack a day helps fight health issue that can lead to heart disease, dementia and diabetes
Here's something to go nuts over. Eating just a handful of this healthy snack a day could stave off a scary syndrome that affects a whopping one in three Americans, according to a new study in the journal Nutrition Research. Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions that includes at least three of the following: high blood pressure, high blood sugar, elevated triglycerides, poor HDL cholesterol and excessive belly fat. People who have metabolic syndrome are at heightened risk of developing Type 2 diabetes and heart disease — and recent studies have even linked the collection of conditions to dementia and poor cognitive health. 'Evidence suggests that people with metabolic syndrome are three times as likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke and twice as likely to die from coronary heart disease compared to people without this condition,' lead study author Emily Ho, director of the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University, said in a statement. 'Poor diet and inactivity contribute to the development of metabolic syndrome, and gut health and chronic inflammation may also play roles.' Luckily, the study found that consuming 2 daily ounces of almonds — roughly 45 nuts — translated to significant drops in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and waist circumference. In a 12-week clinical trial, researchers analyzed the data of two groups of people 35 to 60 years old with metabolic syndrome. One group ate 320 calories worth of almonds every day, while the other group had 320 calories worth of crackers. As expected, bloodwork showed that the almond group had much higher levels of vitamin E — an antioxidant that calms inflammation and supports heart, nerve and muscle health. The almond group also saw reductions in gut inflammation, which is important because a balanced microbiome is crucial for overall and long-term health. There are many reasons why almonds could benefit gut health, said study co-author Laura Beaver, a research associate in the Oregon State College of Health. 'In addition to vitamin E, almonds have polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, fiber, polyphenols, biotin, copper, potassium and magnesium,' she said. 'A full assessment of the nutritional impact of almonds is ongoing, but the changes in cholesterol levels we saw suggest that a metabolic shift occurred in people who snacked on almonds daily.' The findings align with previous studies touting the health benefits of this popular nut. A 2023 study found that eating a handful of nuts a day can slash the risk of heart disease by as much as 25%. Some research has shown that almonds can help fight wrinkles, not least of all because only 1 ounce of almonds provides about 50% of the daily recommended intake for vitamin E. And a study out of Spain suggests eating 30 grams of nuts every day can help lower the risk of depression in adults.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
These states have the highest rates of dementia in the U.S., new study finds
Dementia affects more than 6 million Americans and accounts for more than 100,000 deaths each year, according to the National Institutes of Health. Further, researchers estimate that 42% of Americans over 55 will eventually develop dementia—and that an aging U.S. population could cause the number of new dementia cases per year to double by 2060. Now, researchers at the University of California San Francisco have identified the U.S. regions, as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where dementia occurs most often. The large and comprehensive study, published in JAMA Neurology, examined data on more than 12.6 million veterans 65 and older enrolled in the Veterans Health Administration system; only 2% were women. Researchers found the highest incidence in the Southeast (North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida) and the lowest in the Mid-Atlantic states (Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, New Jersey, Washington D.C.). Further, using the low Mid-Atlantic region for comparison, dementia incidence was: 25% higher in the Southeast (Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi) 23% higher in the Northwest (Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington) 23% higher Rocky Mountains (Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming) 18% higher in the South (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas) 13% in the Southwest (Arizona, California, Hawaiʻi, and Nevada) 12% higher in the South Atlantic (North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida) 12% higher in the Midwest (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska) 7% higher in the Northeast (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, and New York) 7% higher in the Great Lakes (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin) Regional variation may be influenced by several factors, the study notes, pointing to prior research which suggests demographic factors including sex, race, ethnicity, and education level impact the risk of dementia across populations. The prevalence and management of cardiovascular disease and related risk factors, known to increase risk of dementia and cognitive decline, vary across the country. 'Rurality of residence may also play a role,' wrote the researchers, 'with studies showing greater dementia and cognitive impairment among rural adults, possibly due to health care access or poverty.' The results, they add, 'underscore the influence of regionally patterned risk factors or diagnostic practices, highlighting the importance of tailored health care strategies, public health initiatives, and policy reforms.' The varied findings highlight the need for targeted health care planning, public health interventions, and policy development—as well as more research. 'Quality of education, early life conditions, and environmental exposures may be among those factors,' lead author Christina Dintica, PhD, said in a news release. But the next important step, she said, is to investigate the factors driving these differences. More on dementia: It's not just forgetfulness: 8 early warning signs of dementia Marriage has a surprising link to dementia risk, new study finds Paying attention to these 14 risk factors can reduce your risk of dementia, science says This story was originally featured on
