Brown International Corporation News - 2010

• November
  • Belize: Citrus loses $32.5 million to Richard
    • Long after Hurricane Richard dissipated over Mexico, its after-effects continue to reverberate among residents of the Stann Creek Valley, which took the brunt of its power at landfall on October 24.
  • Orange juice soars as Brazil crop falls short
    • Orange juice prices reached their highest point in three years after a government agency in Brazil, the world’s top producer, said the orange crop would fall.
  • U.S. orange-juice sales may decline 8.9%
    • Orange-juice sales by U.S. retailers may fall as much as 8.9 percent in the season that started this month, the Florida Department of Citrus said.
  • US (CA): Navel orange forecast positive despite delays
    • Doug Peltzer, owner of Peltzer Farms Management Inc. in Porterville, gazes at his crop in discontent — his Navel orange crop is nearly three weeks late and still hangs green and petite on a limb.
  • Brazil Drought Improves Outlook for Florida Citrus
    • Brazil's citrus losses may become Florida growers' gains.
• September
  • Citrus Department Changing OJ Ad Direction
    • Maybe the Florida Department of Citrus will hire a couch potato as its new OJ spokesperson.
  • 2010-11 California Navel Orange Objective Measurement Report
    • Released September 10, 2010 by United States Department of Agriculture/National Agricultural Statistics Service.
  • Citrus Maturity Test Results
    • Released September 10, 2010 by United States Department of Agriculture/National Agricultural Statistics Service.
  • Citrus Greening Affects At Least 1,000 Polk Trees
    • Citrus greening has infected at least 1,000 trees in Polk County groves since the deadly bacterial disease arrived locally in the fall of 2007, two years after it first surfaced in Florida, The Ledger has learned.
• August
  • January Freeze Pays Off For Citrus Growers
    • Normally considered the bane of Florida citrus growers, this January's freeze may have rescued the 2009-10 season.
  • The Grapefruit is a Wonder Fruit
    • Grapefruits are a popular citrus fruit enjoyed by millions of people and are often eaten regularly as a breakfast staple as well as a popular snack.
  • 2010-11 Citrus Estimates Out
    • It's something you don't see often, but various parts of the Florida citrus industry seem to be singing from the same hymnal when it comes to the 2010-11 orange crop.
• July
  • New Hope for Cancer Patients Found in Citrus Peels
    • Researchers at Columbia University recently analyzed the positive effects of Modified Citrus Pectin (MCP) on human and mouse prostate cancer cell lines.
  • Citrus Crop Estimate Remains Unchanged
    • The final monthly estimate for Florida's citrus crop this season is unchanged from last month.
  • Final Orange Crop Size Remains the Same
    • The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today released its final orange forecast for the 2009-2010 season showing no change to the 133.6 million box crop.
  • Nelson to Pitch Bill for Citrus Research
    • U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson will introduce a bill that would earmark up to $30 million of federal money annually for scientific research to battle citrus diseases, said Bryan Gulley, a spokesman.
• June
  • Mesa Plant's Closing Marks End of Era for Local Citrus Industry
    • As pioneers settled into the Valley’s fledgling communities in the 1880s, they established a booming industry by planting grove after grove of citrus.
  • Citrus Tree Threat to be Addressed
    • John Krist, chief executive officer of the Farm Bureau of Ventura County, is scheduled give a talk Wednesday on a threat facing the citrus industry.
  • Brazil’s Orange Crop to Rise on Weather, Cutrale Says
    • The Brazilian Orange Belt’s crop, the world’s largest, may rise for the first year in three in 2011 on drier weather, said Sucocitrico Cutrale Ltda. and Louis Dreyfus & Cie SA, which represent 45 percent of global output.
  • Orange Juice Climbs Amid Economic Optimism; Cotton Prices Rise
    • Orange-juice futures rose to a three-week high on speculation that demand for the beverage will improve amid signs that the economy is recovering. Cotton prices also gained.
  • Florida Orange-Crop Estimate Raised 1.5% on `Ideal' Weather, Agency Says
    • Florida’s orange crop, the world’s second-largest, will be 1.5 percent bigger than projected in May as “ideal” weather boosts production of late-season fruit, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said.
• May
  • New OJ Ads Will Target Passive Buyers
    • The new Florida Department of Citrus orange juice marketing campaign will target the 104 million people in the U.S. who consider the state's signature citrus product "just juice."
  • Florida Orange Crop Forecast Holds at 131.6 Million Boxes
    • The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Tuesday released its May orange forecast for the 2009-10 season and showed no change in expectations for a 131.6-million-box crop.
  • Researchers Link Acidic Orange Juice To Suppressing Oxidative Stress
    • Individuals who experience severe inflammation may want to consider drinking acidic drinks such as orange juice, as the flavonoids in the beverage help counteract oxidative stress brought on by high-carb meals.
• April
  • UF Study Finds Agriculture Land Values Drop
    • Probably few Florida agriculture people were surprised by a recent University of Florida survey showing their property values declined in 2009, but the depth of the drop in citrus groves may have surprised some.
  • Florida Citrus Growers Face Rare Newly Discovered Fungal Malady 'Black Spot'
    • Florida citrus growers already struggling with the costs of controlling the fatal citrus greening disease face a new economic threat from black spot, a fungal disease discovered last month in Immokalee.
• February
  • Florida Citrus Commission Selects New Agency to Drive Future Advertising
    • The Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) conducted a comprehensive six-month agency review to ensure that Florida citrus growers have the most qualified advertising agency to help drive future advertising efforts.
  • Freeze Cost Florida Growers 7.4 Mil. Boxes, Agency Says
    • Florida citrus growers lost at least 7.4 million boxes of fruit, including 6 million boxes of oranges, to last month's freeze.
• January
  • Advisory Citrus Group Approves $2.1 Mil. for Greening Research
    • An advisory committee of Florida citrus growers on Tuesday recommended $2.1 million in new research to attack the state's greening epidemic.
  • Growers Hurry to Pick Frost Damaged Fruit for Juicing
    • Florida motorists will share the road with a flood of citrus-hauling trucks over the next few weeks as growers, packinghouses and juice plants struggle to harvest cold-damaged fruit before it drops prematurely.
  • Citrus Mutual: Growers Assessing Damage From Freeze
    • Florida’s $9 billion citrus crop was hit by sub-freezing temperatures that swept across the state early Monday morning, and at midday, the industry’s largest trade organization reported it was still assessing damage.
  • Citrus Industry Fights To Protect Crops From Record-Low Chill
    • A bit of cold weather can be good for maturing Florida citrus, but extreme cold for extended periods can lead to a lot of anxiety for growers and packers.
  • Damage From Cold Strikes Fla. Crops
    • The sting of cold weather fell on Florida citrus groves Monday morning, leaving frozen fruit in many areas of the state's citrus belt and possibly tree damage.
  • Talk on Federal Citrus Tax Back
    • One week after Florida citrus growers approved tripling an existing state tax for citrus-related research, industry leaders will resume an effort to create a new federal research tax.