This column by GCGA <\/a>President Wayne Simmons originally appeared in Florida Gulf Citrus News.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n FORT MYERS, Fla. \u2013 The 2013-2014 season has certainly had\u00a0its peaks and valleys for the \u201cGulf Citrus\u201d\u00a0production region, as well as for the entire\u00a0Florida citrus industry! I am sure that you\u00a0will agree\u2026that GCGA has been engaged\u00a0in representing the interests of \u201cGulf\u201d\u00a0growers on many battle fronts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As we are all aware, HLB\/citrus greening<\/a> has continued to take its toll. It is sad\u00a0to see once pristine, healthy citrus groves\u00a0now reduced to rows of sparsely covered\u00a0trees, with yellow-shaded leaves, across the\u00a0countryside. And, this disease has been the\u00a0culprit in the premature fruit drop during\u00a0the last two seasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our industry is truly in a \u201ctailspin!\u201d Florida\u2019s citrus production has gone from a\u00a0high of 250-million boxes a few years ago\u2026to 110-million boxes to date this season.\u00a0This unprecedented crop reduction has\u00a0awakened all segments of our industry, and\u00a0to use nautical jargon\u2026\u201call hands are now\u00a0on deck\u201d to battle this devastating disease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I am proud to say that from the beginning of the HLB battle\u2026\u201cGulf\u201d growers have\u00a0banned together! Recognizing early on that\u00a0area wide spraying to reduce psyllid populations was \u201cthe\u201d most effective weapon,GCGA formed a \u201cleadership team\u201d to promote the tactic. Your association continues\u00a0to place the highest priority on fighting the\u00a0disease. Our leaders organized the state\u2019s\u00a0first successful Citrus Health Management\u00a0Area (CHMA) to keep psyllid populations\u00a0down to slow the disease\u2019s spread. Recently, realizing that the management of more\u00a0compact CHMAs would produce even\u00a0better results\u2026we have sub-divided the\u00a0\u201cGulf\u201d CHMA into eleven CHMAs, each\u00a0with a \u201cteam captain\u201d for more intensive\u00a0ACP control. It is through these dedicated\u00a0efforts that USDA\/FDACS grove surveys\u00a0show that the \u201cGulf\u201d region continues to have some of the state\u2019s lowest psyllid\u00a0populations. I would like to thank GCGA\u2019s\u00a0leaders for stepping-up in the battle, as well\u00a0as the growers who are participating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Through the aggressive communications of our grower\u00a0organizations, particularly Florida Citrus\u00a0<\/a>Mutual<\/a>, our industry\u00a0efforts in fighting \u201ccitrus greening\u201d have\u00a0also garnered support\u00a0from our state and\u00a0federal leaders! With\u00a0Congresses\u2019 passage of the Farm Bill, and\u00a0other legislation, over $125-million, will be\u00a0invested in research aimed at HLB. This\u00a0funding could not have come at a better\u00a0time, and will enable some of our dwindling\u00a0\u201cgrower dollars\u201d to go back into marketing\u00a0to promote orange juice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I would like to thank Florida\u2019s Congressional Delegation\u2026and most personally, Congressman Tom Rooney<\/a>\u2026for the effort\u00a0to secure funding to fight \u201cgreening.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n At the state level, I would like to thank Governor Rick Scott<\/a> and Agriculture\u00a0<\/a>Commissioner Adam Putnam<\/a> for their efforts to secure funding for HLB research.\u00a0The $7.5-million received through the\u00a0state\u2019s 2013-14 budget has already made an impact on our \u201cshort term\u201d research! In my\u00a0travels to Tallahassee during the past two\u00a0years, I have also noted the strong support\u00a0of our local legislative delegation regarding\u00a0our industry\u2019s funding requests for \u201cgreening\u201d research. They, too, deserve thanks!<\/p>\n\n\n\n All of these positive actions make me more optimistic about the future! We\u00a0certainly are a resilient bunch\u2026and have\u00a0been through many battles. Somehow, with\u00a0God\u2019s grace\u2026we will defeat HLB and\/or\u00a0find ways to live with it! <\/p>\n\n\n\n Another \u201ctool\u201d we have to help us is the UF\/IFAS Southwest Florida Research and\u00a0<\/a>Education Center<\/a> in Immokalee. We all\u00a0know that the SWFREC has been struggling due to funding and leadership challenges! I am happy to report that through\u00a0the efforts of a unified southwest Florida\u00a0AG industry\u2026efforts are underway to\u00a0\u201crevitalize\u201d the center. We are pleased to\u00a0welcome back Dr. Calvin Arnold, who on\u00a0April 1st began his stint as the SWFREC\u2019s\u00a0director. We look forward to working with\u00a0him to rebuild the center as a premier facility in the \u201cGulf\u201d growing area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our association continues to be financially sound in spite of declining citrus acreage.\u00a0We will continue to run a \u201clean\u201d organization, and be accountable to your grower\u00a0dollars. Through our fundraising efforts, such as our \u201cCountry GALA\u201d and \u201cGulf Classic,\u201d we have met our budget demands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In closing, I would like to thank ALL our members for allowing me to serve as your\u00a0president! We can always use more help in\u00a0dealing with the issues that impact \u201cGulf\u201d\u00a0growers! On behalf of your leadership\u2026thanks for your interest and support!<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I am proud to say that from the beginning of the HLB battle…\u201cGulf\u201d growers have banned together! 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