By Johnny Russ

June 18, 2007 12:21 PM | Link to this

I have a small company
in Florahome, Fl where I produce OMRI listed earthworm castings. My phone No (386)659-1711. Research show castings will treat or eliminate many of the citrus diseases. Will donate some castings to anyone

By Johnny Russ

June 18, 2007 11:37 AM | Link to this

I have a small company
in Florahome, Fl where I produce OMRI listed earthworm castings. My phone No (386)659-1711. Research show castings will treat or eliminate many of the citrus diseases. Will donate some castings to anyone

By David Martin

June 8, 2007 2:15 PM | Link to this

Anna K, Susan Salisbury is correct about the Melaleuca-eating psyllid. It and other biological control agents have all been evaluated and tested following extremely strict procedures.

Unfortunately, though, new insect species arrive unintentionally in Florida at an alarmingly high rate.

By Alex Brown

June 8, 2007 11:37 AM | Link to this

Mr. Florio, sir, you are wrong. My family has been in the citrus business for four decades and no one in the industry is looking for free money. You further enlighten us with comments indicating that South Florida has the weather/climate to grow anything we want, particularly for high paying energy derivatives. Really? You’re a rare combination of arrogance and ignorance. A little free advice: stick to what you know about, which is clearly not commercial agriculture.

By Susan Salisbury

June 8, 2007 10:12 AM | Link to this

I can understand your confusion about the citrus psyllid. It is not the same insect as the one brought in to control melaleuca. The melaleuca control bugs are: melaleuca weevil (oxyopsvitiosa) and the melaleuca psyllid (boreioglycaspis melaleucae). The Asian citrus psyllid is Diaphorina citri. They are different bugs.

By Joe Florio

June 8, 2007 10:11 AM | Link to this

I have said at Commission meetings in Stuart that these citrus growers can and should grow energy crops if they can’t grow citrus any longer. I have heard that many farmers are cashing in on corn crops because of the shortage in corn that is being turned into Ethanol. There are also other crops that can be used for energy, and south Florida has the weather/climate to grow anything they want, and they can make big money doing it. So they need to turn their crying towels into something constructive, instead of looking for the Government to bail them out, because that’s what it sounds like what I think they want…free money.

By Bill Neubauer

June 8, 2007 7:39 AM | Link to this

The kinder, gentler approach to citrus greening is a welcome change from the ham-handed abortive approach the state took to citrus canker.
 Destruction of perfectly good trees constituted a major tragedy, and, of course, was ineffective.
 It is heartening that emphasis is being directed to research.  Considering the miracles which have resulted in medical research, it seems unlikely that research cannot yield a resistance to greening.

By Anna K

June 8, 2007 7:29 AM | Link to this

I am sure others have noticed that the fly imported from SouthEast Asia to eradicate melaleuca and released in Homestead, often carries the HLB bacteria. HLB spread has correllated with the migration of this insect. If our state experts first tested the flies for this bacteria before releasing them to fight the melaleuca, the citrus industry would not be in peril. Another sequelae is, without the citrus industry, the illegal alien issue is minimized or eradicated also.