Florida Citrus Industry catches big break with appeals court decision to block harmful pesticide

Orange Farm – Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image by SchnepfDesign Florida citrus growers and farmers received pleasing news after an appeals court ruling overturned federal approval of a controversial pesticide that industry experts and supporters believe will aid the fight against a crop disease that has ravaged the citrus community in the state.  For years, the

Is Florida the next Coffee King? UF Scientists believe climate change could soon allow farmers to grow coffee beans

Coffee Berries – Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image by Aedka Studio Florida has been known as a major player in the citrus farming sector for decades, namely because of its production of orange juice and citrus products. In fact, in most seasons, Florida produces more than 90 percent of the country’s supply of orange juice and

Mosquito Mayhem—Florida Keys introduce Genetically Modified mosquitoes to fight disease-carrying mosquito species

Image by Егор Камелев from Pixabay Genetically modified mosquitoes are like something out of a movie, and what better place for them to be released than in Florida… That’s right; the Florida Keys will soon be testing the effectiveness of genetically modified mosquitoes in small areas between mile markers 10 and 93 in an effort

Florida Agriculture Commissioner vows to crack down on gas pump skimmers with new legislation

Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image by AOME1812 In an effort to combat gas pump skimmers, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried has vowed to crack down on the thieves that have catapulted Florida to the top of the fraud charts in America. At a press conference held outside of a RaceTrac gas station, the agriculture commissioner highlighted

Florida crews working to prevent ‘Catastrophic’ flood situation in Manatee County phosphate mine

Governor Ron DeSantis addressing the Piney Point water situation – Courtesy: Chris O’Meara/AP A significant toxic wastewater leak was discovered last week Friday at a former phosphate plant located at Piney Point in Manatee County. After the leak was discovered, Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for the entire county and ordered the

Supreme Court rules against Florida in water lawsuit affecting Oyster population

Fresh Oysters – Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image by Natalia Lisovskaya Earlier this year, we reported that the U.S. Supreme Court was scheduled to hear a long-awaited water lawsuit case for a river system that lies along the Florida-Georgia state line. The Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint river system stretching from Florida’s Apalachicola Bay to northern Georgia was the body

Multi-Million dollar sand renourishment project by Army Corps is underway in Cocoa Beach

Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image by Mia2you Central Florida’s popular Space Coast beach destination will soon be getting a fresh coating of fine sand thanks to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  Several miles off the shore of Cape Canaveral, new sand deposits were dredged and pumped for the estimated $10.6 million project awarded to the

Yes, White Strawberries are a thing… And they are arriving at local Florida grocery stores

Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image By D. Pimborough Strawberries are without a doubt one of the most recognizable fruits on the planet. They can be tart or sweet. They can be used in smoothies or covered in chocolate. And now, thanks to science, they can be white with a very different taste profile. Yes, you read that

Florida invasive species battle continues as FWC bans “high-risk” reptiles from commercial breeding and pet ownership

Green Iguana – Courtesy: Image by Scottslm from Pixabay In a unanimous vote Thursday, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission voted on a new set of rules that would ban the commercial breeding practice and ownership of 16 “high-risk” reptiles in the state. The rule would allow current high-risk reptile owners to keep the

Florida-Georgia river system battle will be heard by U.S. Supreme Court

U.S. Supreme Court. Courtesy: Image by Mark Thomas from Pixabay The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a long-awaited case about a river system that lies along the Florida-Georgia state line next month. After years of back and forth arguments, the case about dividing the water in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint river system stretching from Florida’s