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Hit by storms and disease, Florida's citrus growers try to survive until bug-free trees arrive

Florida's orange industry faces severe challenges due to population growth, hurricanes, and citrus greening disease, leading to a significant decline in production.
Many growers are selling family-owned orange groves to developers amid these challenges.
The decline in production threatens 33,000 jobs and an economic impact of $6.8 billion in Florida.
Researchers have been developing a genetically modified tree that targets the insects causing citrus greening for eight years.

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Florida Politics

+2 Reposted by 2 other sources

Hit by storms and disease, Florida’s citrus growers try to survive until bug-free trees arrive

As Trevor Murphy pulls up to his dad’s 20-acre (8-hectare) grove in one of the fastest-growing counties in the United States, he points to the cookie-cutter, one-story homes encroaching on the orange trees from all sides. “At some point, this isn’t going to be an orange grove anymore,” Murphy, a third-generation grower, says as he gazes at the rows of trees in Lake Wales, Florida. “You look around here, and it’s all houses, and that’s going to h…

2 days ago·Florida, United States

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Newsday

+11 Reposted by 11 other sources

Florida's citrus industry faces threats from hurricanes, disease and real estate

Florida's citrus growers are struggling to survive the one-two punch of hurricanes and disease.

3 days ago·United States

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Associated Press News

+13 Reposted by 13 other sources

Hit by storms and disease, Florida's citrus growers try to survive until bug-free trees arrive

Florida’s citrus growers are struggling to survive the one-two punch of hurricanes and disease. As production of the state’s signature crop has declined in recent years, many citrus farmers have sold their land rather than wait for the development of a genetically modified tree that could save their

3 days ago·United States

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