Latest news with #AlicoInc.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Farmers warn of rising food prices as extreme conditions threaten supply: 'It's been bone dry down here for the past two months'
Farmers in Florida are facing difficulties due to extreme weather events in the region. As a result, they're warning consumers that they could see higher food prices soon. According to Blue Book, recent weather in Florida has growers in the region concerned about their crops. Currently, temperatures are moving into the 90s, and there has been little rain in recent months, as well as none forecast in the near future. Growers are preoccupied with the 2025 hurricane season, which early forecasts predict will see above-average activity. As a result of these conditions and potentially volatile months ahead, crops in the region — including beans, bell peppers, and squash — could feel the squeeze, causing food prices to rise. Those growing citrus aren't faring much better, either. Fox Weather reported that last year's hurricane season caused a drop in citrus crops. Meanwhile, 82% of the state is currently in a drought, while 16% is in extreme drought, significantly affecting crops. Citrus growers also have to contend with a disease known as citrus greening, which can kill off citrus trees. Citrus grower Trevor Murphy told Fox Weather, "It's been bone dry down here for the past two months. We've received one inch of rain, and that was over a month ago." As global temperatures continue to rise, more extreme weather, such as droughts and hurricanes, will decrease crop yields and affect consumers. Fewer yields mean fewer food items at the grocery store, which also means that what food is on the shelves will increase in price. Plus, if farmers lose money on crops or have to up their investment to grow the crops needed, prices will increase even more. Growers in Florida may even begin to cease operations, much like Alico Inc., which decided to shut down citrus growing operations at the beginning of 2025. Fewer growers result in fewer jobs and less produce; less produce affects not only the availability of fruits and vegetables on the shelves but also products made with this produce. Do you worry about how much food you throw away? Definitely Sometimes Not really Never Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. There's the damage droughts and hurricanes can cause to the environment to consider, too, such as worse soil to grow in, less water for crops, and fields of ruined crops with which to contend. Citrus growers in the state might see help in the near future, as the state Senate has put forth a proposal that would set aside $200 million for the cost of new citrus trees, testing varieties of disease-resistant citrus, and improving grove management. As for other crop growers, scientists have been hard at work exploring ways to make crops more climate-resilient, how to grow crops with less water, and more. Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Florida's orange industry is decaying — here's how it could impact your wallet
If there's one agricultural staple Florida is known for, it's oranges. Polk County, Florida, houses more acres of citrus than any other county in Florida. But in 2023, more people moved to Polk County than any other county in the country, leaving less room for citrus growers to do what they do best. I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 5 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) Nervous about the stock market in 2025? Find out how you can access this $1B private real estate fund (with as little as $10) Americans with upside-down car loans owe more money than ever before — and drivers can't keep up. Here are 3 ways to cut your monthly costs ASAP However, the problem isn't limited to Polk County. The combination of population growth, extreme weather and citrus greening disease have battered the Florida orange industry. Many citrus growers across the state are shutting down operations and making the tough decision to sell groves that have been in their families for generations. And not just farmers and businesses reliant on oranges stand to lose. If this trend continues, consumers could also feel the impact. Citrus greening disease, also known as Huanglongbing (HLB), has been devastating Florida citrus crops since it was first detected in 2005. It has ripped through the state, reducing citrus production by 75% and more than doubling production costs. Florida's citrus industry was already in poor shape when Hurricane Irma hit in 2017. In its aftermath, a major freeze followed, along with additional hurricanes that further exacerbated the situation. A tree that loses branches and foliage in a hurricane can take up to three years to recover. All told, these events have contributed to a 90% decline in Florida's orange production over the past two decades. The state's citrus industry footprint has also shrunk from 832,000 acres to just 275,000. 'This industry is ... so ingrained in Florida. Citrus is synonymous with Florida,' said Matt Joyner, CEO of trade association Florida Citrus Mutual. Alico Inc., one of Florida's biggest growers, announced plans this year to wind down its citrus operations across 53,000 acres. That decision has ripple effects for producers like Tropicana, which rely on Alico to produce orange juice. Meanwhile, U.S. orange juice consumption has also been declining for two decades. But natural disasters aren't the only challenge. Booming real estate is also taking a toll. Florida's population increased by more than 467,000 people last year, reaching 23 million and making it the third-largest state in the nation. But more people mean more homes — homes that encroach on orange groves. The good news is that researchers are developing a genetically modified tree that can kill the tiny insects responsible for citrus greening. However, those trees are still at least three years away from being planted. Read more: Gold just hit a historic high of $3,000/ounce on Trump's tariff moves — while US stocks got slaughtered. Here's 1 simple way to prevent more pain within minutes The cost of orange juice has been rising steadily since the pandemic, with prices soaring in 2023 and 2024. In March 2020, a 12-ounce can of frozen orange juice concentrate cost $2.28. By February 2025, the price had jumped to $4.49. The reason is simple: supply and demand. When supply dwindles, prices rise. If Florida's citrus output continues to shrink, consumers may have to pay even more for orange juice and related products. But that's problematic. According to the Consumer Price Index, grocery prices were up 1.9% year over year as of February 2025, and many Americans are struggling to keep up. Rampant inflation has been hurting consumers for years. A Swiftly survey in October found that 70% of consumers were having difficulty affording groceries. Meanwhile, Northwestern Mutual's 2025 Planning & Progress Study found that 43% of respondents cited rising grocery prices as a significant financial burden. If U.S. citrus production continues to decline, the country may need to rely more on imports. However, recent tariff policies and international trade tensions could drive prices even higher. There's also the issue of job losses. As of 2021, Florida's citrus industry contributed $7 billion to the state's economy and supported more than 32,000 jobs. If citrus production continues to decline, many workers — especially those with long histories in agriculture — could find themselves unemployed. Whether they'll be able to pivot successfully into new industries is unclear. Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan 'works every single time' to kill debt, get rich in America — and that 'anyone' can do it Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead Protect your retirement savings with these 5 essential money moves — most of which you can complete in just minutes This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
CBS News
15-03-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Hit by storms and disease, Florida's citrus growers try to survive until bug-free trees arrive
As Trevor Murphy pulls up to his dad's 20-acre (8-hectare) grove in one of the fastest-growing counties in the United States, he points to the cookie-cutter, one-story homes encroaching on the orange trees from all sides. "At some point, this isn't going to be an orange grove anymore," Murphy, a third-generation grower, says as he gazes at the rows of trees in Lake Wales, Florida. "You look around here, and it's all houses, and that's going to happen here." Polk County, which includes Lake Wales, contains more acres of citrus than any other county in Florida. And in 2023, more people moved to Polk County than any other county in the country. Population growth, hurricanes and a vicious citrus greening disease have left the Florida orange industry reeling. Consumers are drinking less orange juice, citrus growers are folding up their operations in the state and the major juice company Tropicana is struggling to stay afloat. With huge numbers of people moving into Florida's orange growing areas, developers are increasingly building homes on what were once orange groves. Many growers are now making the difficult decision to sell orange groves that have been in their families for generations to developers building homes to house the growing population. Others, like Murphy, are sticking it out, hoping to survive until a bug-free tree or other options arrive to repel the disease or treat the trees. When Hurricane Irma blasted through the state's orange belt in 2017, Florida's signature crop already had been on a downward spiral for two decades because of the greening disease. Next came a major freeze and two more hurricanes in 2022, followed by two hurricanes last year. A tree that loses branches and foliage in a hurricane can take three years to recover, Murphy said. Those catastrophes contributed to a 90% decline in orange production over the past two decades. Citrus groves in Florida, which covered more than 832,00 acres (336,698 hectares) at the turn of the century, populated scarcely 275,000 acres (111,288 hectares) last year, and California has eclipsed Florida as the nation's leading citrus producer. "Losing the citrus industry is not an option. This industry is ... so ingrained in Florida. Citrus is synonymous with Florida," Matt Joyner, CEO of trade association Florida Citrus Mutual told Florida lawmakers recently. Nevertheless, Alico Inc., one of Florida's biggest growers, announced this year that it plans to wind down its citrus operations on more than 53,000 acres (21,000 hectares), saying its production has declined by almost three-quarters in a decade. That decision hurts processors, including Tropicana, which rely on Alico's fruit to produce orange juice and must now operate at reduced capacity. Orange juice consumption in the U.S. has been declining for the past two decades, despite a small bump during the COVID-19 pandemic. A prominent growers group, the Gulf Citrus Growers Association, closed its doors last year. Pressure on citrus farming is also growing from one of the state's other biggest industries: real estate. Florida expanded by more than 467,000 people last year to 23 million people, making it the third largest state in the nation. And more homes must be built to house that ever-growing population. Some prominent, multigenerational citrus families each have been putting hundreds of acres (hectares) of groves up for sale for millions of dollars, or as much as $25,000 an acre. Murphy owns several hundred acres (hectares) of groves and says he has no plans to abandon the industry, though last year he closed a citrus grove caretaking business that managed thousands of acres for other owners. However, he also has a real estate license, which is useful given the amount of land that is changing hands. He recently sold off acres in Polk County to a home developer, and has used that money to pay off debt and develop plans to replant thousands of trees in more productive groves. "I would like to think that we're at the bottom, and we're starting to climb back up that hill," Murphy says. A whole ecosystem of businesses dependent on Florida citrus is at risk if the crops fail, including 33,000 full-time and part-time jobs and an economic impact of $6.8 billion in Florida alone. Besides growers, there are juice processors, grove caretakers, fertilizer sellers, packing houses, nurseries and candy manufacturers, all hoping for a fix for citrus greening disease. Tom Davidson, whose parents founded Davidson of Dundee Citrus Candy and Jelly Factory in Lake Wales in 1966, says the drop in citrus production has impacted what flavor jellies the business is able to produce and the prices it charges to customers. "We're really hoping that the scientists can get this figured out so we can we can get back to what we did," Davidson says. Researchers have been working for eight years on a genetically modified tree that can kill the tiny insects responsible for citrus greening. The process involves inserting a gene into a citrus tree that produces a protein that can kill baby Asian citrus psyllids by making holes in their guts, according to Lukasz Stelinski, an entomology professor at the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences' Citrus Research and Education Center. It could be at least three years before bug-resistant trees can be planted, leaving Florida growers looking for help from other technologies. They include planting trees inside protective screens and covering young trees with white bags to keep out the bugs, injecting trees with an antibiotic, and finding trees that have become resistant to greening through natural mutation and distributing them to other groves. "It's kind of like being a Lions fan before the Detroit Lions started to win games," Stelinski says. "I'm hoping that we are making that turnaround."
The Hill
14-03-2025
- Climate
- The Hill
Florida's citrus industry faces threats from hurricanes, disease and real estate
LAKE WALES, Fla. (AP) — As Trevor Murphy pulls up to his dad's 20-acre (8-hectare) grove in one of the fastest-growing counties in the United States, he points to the cookie-cutter, one-story homes encroaching on the orange trees from all sides. 'At some point, this isn't going to be an orange grove anymore,' Murphy, a third-generation grower, says as he gazes at the rows of trees in Lake Wales, Florida. 'You look around here, and it's all houses, and that's going to happen here.' Polk County, which includes Lake Wales, contains more acres of citrus than any other county in Florida. And in 2023, more people moved to Polk County than any other county in the country. Hit in recent years by hurricanes and citrus greening disease, which slowly kills the trees, many growers are making the difficult decision to sell orange groves that have been in their families for generations to developers building homes to house the growing population. Others, like Murphy, are sticking it out, hoping to survive until a bug-free tree or other options arrive to repel the disease or treat the trees. Mounting concerns When Hurricane Irma blasted through the state's orange belt in 2017, Florida's signature crop already had been on a downward spiral for two decades because of the greening disease. Next came a major freeze and two more hurricanes in 2022, followed by two hurricanes last year. A tree that loses branches and foliage in a hurricane can take three years to recover, Murphy said. Those catastrophes contributed to a 90% decline in orange production over the past two decades. Citrus groves in Florida, which covered more than 832,00 acres (336,698 hectares) at the turn of the century, populated scarcely 275,000 acres (111,288 hectares) last year, and California has eclipsed Florida as the nation's leading citrus producer. 'Losing the citrus industry is not an option. This industry is … so ingrained in Florida. Citrus is synonymous with Florida,' Matt Joyner, CEO of trade association Florida Citrus Mutual told Florida lawmakers recently. Nevertheless, Alico Inc., one of Florida's biggest growers, announced this year that it plans to wind down its citrus operations on more than 53,000 acres (21,000 hectares), saying its production has declined by almost three-quarters in a decade. That decision hurts processors, including Tropicana, which rely on Alico's fruit to produce orange juice and must now operate at reduced capacity. Orange juice consumption in the U.S. has been declining for the past two decades, despite a small bump during the COVID-19 pandemic. A prominent growers group, the Gulf Citrus Growers Association, closed its doors last year. Location, location, location Pressure on citrus farming is also growing from one of the state's other biggest industries: real estate. Florida expanded by more than 467,000 people last year to 23 million people, making it the third largest state in the nation. And more homes must be built to house that ever-growing population. Some prominent, multi-generational citrus families each have been putting hundreds of acres (hectares) of groves up for sale for millions of dollars, or as much as $25,000 an acre. Murphy owns several hundred acres (hectares) of groves and says he has no plans to abandon the industry, though last year he closed a citrus grove caretaking business that managed thousands of acres for other owners. However, he also has a real estate license, which is useful given the amount of land that is changing hands. He recently sold off acres in Polk County to a home developer, and has used that money to pay off debt and develop plans to replant thousands of trees in more productive groves. 'I would like to think that we're at the bottom, and we're starting to climb back up that hill,' Murphy says. A bug-free tree A whole ecosystem of businesses dependent on Florida citrus is at risk if the crops fail, including 33,000 fulltime and part-time jobs and an economic impact of $6.8 billion in Florida alone. Besides growers, there are juice processors, grove caretakers, fertilizer sellers, packing houses, nurseries and candy manufacturers, all hoping for a fix for citrus greening disease. Tom Davidson, whose parents founded Davidson of Dundee Citrus Candy and Jelly Factory in Lake Wales in 1966, says the drop in citrus production has impacted what flavor jellies the business is able to produce and the prices it charges to customers. 'We're really hoping that the scientists can get this figured out so we can we can get back to what we did,' Davidson says. Researchers have been working for eight years on a genetically modified tree that can kill the tiny insects responsible for citrus greening. The process involves inserting a gene into a citrus tree that produces a protein that can kill baby Asian citrus psyllids by making holes in their guts, according to Lukasz Stelinski, an entomology professor at the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences' Citrus Research and Education Center. It could be at least three years before bug-resistant trees can be planted, leaving Florida growers looking for help from other technologies. They include planting trees inside protective screens and covering young trees with white bags to keep out the bugs, injecting trees with an antibiotic, and finding trees that have become resistant to greening through natural mutation and distributing them to other groves. 'It's kind of like being a Lions fan before the Detroit Lions started to win games,' Stelinski says. 'I'm hoping that we are making that turnaround.'
Associated Press
14-03-2025
- Climate
- Associated Press
Florida's citrus industry faces threats from hurricanes, disease and real estate
LAKE WALES, Fla. (AP) — As Trevor Murphy pulls up to his dad's 20-acre (8-hectare) grove in one of the fastest-growing counties in the United States, he points to the cookie-cutter, one-story homes encroaching on the orange trees from all sides. 'At some point, this isn't going to be an orange grove anymore,' Murphy, a third-generation grower, says as he gazes at the rows of trees in Lake Wales, Florida. 'You look around here, and it's all houses, and that's going to happen here.' Polk County, which includes Lake Wales, contains more acres of citrus than any other county in Florida. And in 2023, more people moved to Polk County than any other county in the country. Hit in recent years by hurricanes and citrus greening disease, which slowly kills the trees, many growers are making the difficult decision to sell orange groves that have been in their families for generations to developers building homes to house the growing population. Others, like Murphy, are sticking it out, hoping to survive until a bug-free tree or other options arrive to repel the disease or treat the trees. Mounting concerns When Hurricane Irma blasted through the state's orange belt in 2017, Florida's signature crop already had been on a downward spiral for two decades because of the greening disease. Next came a major freeze and two more hurricanes in 2022, followed by two hurricanes last year. A tree that loses branches and foliage in a hurricane can take three years to recover, Murphy said. Those catastrophes contributed to a 90% decline in orange production over the past two decades. Citrus groves in Florida, which covered more than 832,00 acres (336,698 hectares) at the turn of the century, populated scarcely 275,000 acres (111,288 hectares) last year, and California has eclipsed Florida as the nation's leading citrus producer. 'Losing the citrus industry is not an option. This industry is ... so ingrained in Florida. Citrus is synonymous with Florida,' Matt Joyner, CEO of trade association Florida Citrus Mutual told Florida lawmakers recently. Nevertheless, Alico Inc., one of Florida's biggest growers, announced this year that it plans to wind down its citrus operations on more than 53,000 acres (21,000 hectares), saying its production has declined by almost three-quarters in a decade. That decision hurts processors, including Tropicana, which rely on Alico's fruit to produce orange juice and must now operate at reduced capacity. Orange juice consumption in the U.S. has been declining for the past two decades, despite a small bump during the COVID-19 pandemic. A prominent growers group, the Gulf Citrus Growers Association, closed its doors last year. Location, location, location Pressure on citrus farming is also growing from one of the state's other biggest industries: real estate. Florida expanded by more than 467,000 people last year to 23 million people, making it the third largest state in the nation. And more homes must be built to house that ever-growing population. Some prominent, multi-generational citrus families each have been putting hundreds of acres (hectares) of groves up for sale for millions of dollars, or as much as $25,000 an acre. Murphy owns several hundred acres (hectares) of groves and says he has no plans to abandon the industry, though last year he closed a citrus grove caretaking business that managed thousands of acres for other owners. However, he also has a real estate license, which is useful given the amount of land that is changing hands. He recently sold off acres in Polk County to a home developer, and has used that money to pay off debt and develop plans to replant thousands of trees in more productive groves. 'I would like to think that we're at the bottom, and we're starting to climb back up that hill,' Murphy says. A bug-free tree A whole ecosystem of businesses dependent on Florida citrus is at risk if the crops fail, including 33,000 fulltime and part-time jobs and an economic impact of $6.8 billion in Florida alone. Besides growers, there are juice processors, grove caretakers, fertilizer sellers, packing houses, nurseries and candy manufacturers, all hoping for a fix for citrus greening disease. Tom Davidson, whose parents founded Davidson of Dundee Citrus Candy and Jelly Factory in Lake Wales in 1966, says the drop in citrus production has impacted what flavor jellies the business is able to produce and the prices it charges to customers. 'We're really hoping that the scientists can get this figured out so we can we can get back to what we did,' Davidson says. Researchers have been working for eight years on a genetically modified tree that can kill the tiny insects responsible for citrus greening. The process involves inserting a gene into a citrus tree that produces a protein that can kill baby Asian citrus psyllids by making holes in their guts, according to Lukasz Stelinski, an entomology professor at the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences' Citrus Research and Education Center. It could be at least three years before bug-resistant trees can be planted, leaving Florida growers looking for help from other technologies. They include planting trees inside protective screens and covering young trees with white bags to keep out the bugs, injecting trees with an antibiotic, and finding trees that have become resistant to greening through natural mutation and distributing them to other groves. 'It's kind of like being a Lions fan before the Detroit Lions started to win games,' Stelinski says. 'I'm hoping that we are making that turnaround.'
