TAMPA Enterprising thieves have found new venues from which to pilfer: fields of strawberries and groves of oranges. They're not stealing produce, but diesel fuel out of tanks, copper and aluminum wiring out of pump houses and sprinkler heads amid the strawberry plants. ...more

June 3, 2008

LAKELAND – During simultaneous meetings held last month at Agriculture Research Service in Fort Pierce and the National Academy of Sciences in West Palm Beach, researchers from institutions in Florida, other states and other countries urged all citrus growers and industry participants to continue to work diligently solve devastating citrus diseases, such as greening. "We brought together 23 scientists, including plant pathologists, botanists, entomologists, microbiologists and others to offer the industry new perspective beyond that of the citrus research establishment," stated Robin Schoen, director of the Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources, National Research Council, NAS. "Members of the NAS panel were astonished by the rapid spread and severe impact of greening in Florida to date. We realize that urgent and immediate attention is needed to address this situation so that it does not escalate out of control." "Our goal is to preserve the future of the citrus industry in Florida. We recognize the need for independent scientific experts to help Florida's citrus teams identify the most effective and efficient way to solve greening," said Bob Norberg, deputy executive director, research and operations, Florida Department of Citrus. "This joint meeting illustrates the willingness of the Florida scientific community to embrace new research directions as we move forward." ...more

May 10, 2008

Citrus growers in the Tampa Bay area spent the New Year on high alert last week as freezing temperatures threatened crops. ...more

January 9, 2008

SEBRING — A major turning point in the battles over public access to outdoor recreation sites in Highlands County may have occurred Thursday when the only family heir to Allie and Albert Cain surfaced. ...more

January 4, 2008

PLANT CITY - Under a freezing crescent moon and an ice-cold indigo sky, Bob McDowell leaned over to inspect an icicled sprinkler. His goal: Save every strawberry at the 200-acre Fancy Farms, east of Plant City. ...more

January 3, 2008

SEBRING — It felt like beach weather last week, but as you're picking up this newspaper from your doorstep or out of the rack, you'll wish you had a skull cap, gloves and a scarf to go along with that jacket. The National Weather Service in Ruskin predicts temperatures to dip into upper 20s by tonight until Thursday morning, bringing in the coldest weather seen in Highlands County this season, and possibly a hard freeze that's rarely seen south of Polk County's so-called "frost line." ...more

January 2, 2008

SEBRING — The National Weather Service in Ruskin predicted temperatures to dip into the high 20s by Wednesday night, with temperatures expected to drop down rapidly New Year's Day. ...more

December 31, 2007

As Cargill shuts down its juice plants in Avon Park and Frostproof, it's a reminder that Highlands County is changing. Fewer and fewer citrus farms exist. Farms that are more valuable as housing developments or shopping malls than they can possibly produce in orange juice. Slowly, the citrus groves along U.S. 27 are disappearing. So are the groves on U.S. 98, between U.S. 27 and Spring Lake. They will remain along our country roads. Cargill Juice North America is laying off an additional 20 to 25 workers at Avon Park and Frostproof by Jan. 31. The company is getting out of the citrus processing business in Florida. Imagine saying that in the days of Ben Hill Griffin Jr., when oranges were king. ...more

December 23, 2007

An emergency rule designed to guard Florida's citrus crop against a fungus that might be on California fruit shipped into the state withstood an initial court challenge Wednesday. ...more

December 20, 2007

Drew Burchenal and his dad, Bill, have been hunched over a conveyor for days, inspecting the fresh, hand-picked citrus from their 220-acre citrus farm in Odessa. ...more

December 19, 2007