HLB: An Iconic Industry’s Fight for Survival

Farm Foundation Round TableJanuary 2015

Harold Browning, Chief Operations Officer

Citrus Research and Development Foundation, Inc.

700 Experiment Station Road • Lake Alfred • FL • 33850 863-956-8817 citrusrdf.org

1January 13, 2015

• Nearly 550,000 acres • Juice and Fresh Marketing• 34 producing counties• 6,000 small and large growers• 76,000 employees• 160‐180 million boxes of fruit • $1.2 billion farm gate value• $8.9 billion economic impact • Supplies 90% of U.S. OJ

Profile: Florida Citrus Industry at Risk

3

Florida Citrus Industry HLB Situation

• All Florida Groves Infected• Increasing Tree Decline• Significant fruit drop • Crop loss 13% (2013), 18% (2014), ? (2015)• Average Annual Loss $1 billion, 2006/07 to 20130/14• Estimated Job Loss Related to HLB is over 10,000 

4

Disease Spread in Florida

1/13/2015 www.citrusrdf.org

Oct. 2005 Apr. 2006 June 2007Aug. 2008

2 Counties 12 Counties 24 Counties

32 Counties

Source:  Southern Gardens Citrus

Economic Impacts of HLB

• Increased costs of production Regular inputs Supplements Correcting soil, water conditions Psyllid vector treatments

• Diminishing yields• Lost efficiencies• Uncertainty > Indecision

January 13, 2015 5

January 13, 2015 6

The HLB Disease Triangle

CLas BacteriaPathogen

HLB

Citrus TreeHost

DPI PhotoAsian citrus psyllid

Vector

Progressive Biological Impacts of HLB

• Inoculation into leaves by psyllid• Systemic movement in vascular tissue • Mottling of leaves (starch)• Debilitation of root systems• Decline of limbs, thinning of canopies• Small, off-flavored fruit• Pre-harvest fruit drop increase• Overall tree decline• Increasingly compounded by other

stresses

January 13, 2015 7

TIME

How to Mobilize a ResponseWithin a Segmented Industry and System

1/13/2015 www.citrusrdf.org 8

FDOC(FCC) 

New Product Discovery and Development Roles

Indirect 

Direct 

Time to Market NowNever

NA

NSF

CRDF

Nursery

Processors

UF

USDA

NA PMA RGAFDACS / WMD

FCPRAC

USDA‐SBIR

APHIS EPA FDA

NSF‐SBIR

FCIRCC

Grove

Packers

FCMFFSPI/NVDMC

9

• NAS involved 2008‐2010 in planning

• Increased investment in 2008‐09 

• NRC study published in 2010

• CRDF formed as non‐profit research sponsor

1/13/2015 www.citrusrdf.org 9

Assistance in Developing a Response to HLB

WHAT IS CRDF?

To address the need for an organization to manage research , the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF), a 501(c)(3) non‐profit 

corporation was formed in April, 2009

The organization is headed by a 13‐member board, 10 individuals from industry and 3 from University and State Department of  Agriculture

The Mission of CRDFAdvance disease and production research and product development activities 

to ensure the survival and competitiveness of Florida citrus growers

1/13/2015 www.citrusrdf.org 10

CITRUS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION

Citrus Industry Research Investments

1/13/2015 www.citrusrdf.org 11

$0

$2,000,000

$4,000,000

$6,000,000

$8,000,000

$10,000,000

$12,000,000

$14,000,000

$16,000,000

$18,000,000

$20,000,000Research & Delivery Expense Summary

HLB Era                   

CRDF and Federal Funding Programs – HLBCRDF Program Goals

Understanding HLB

Long‐Term Development

Medium‐Term Development

Short‐Term Solutions

Delivery of Solutions

to the grove

1/13/2015 www.citrusrdf.org 12

Federal Funding Programs

Farm Bill ‐ USDA, NIFASpecialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) CDRE Program$25 million per year over     5 years

Congressional Appropriation  Multi‐Agency Coordination Group (MAC); USDA, APHIS$21 million over 2 years

Citrus Health Response Program (CHRP)USDA, APHIS and State Dept. Ag

IRCC

RMC

CPDC

PesticidesNovel SuppressionBiological ControlAttract/RepelDefective ACP (NIFA SCRI)CHMAs

Ultimate HLB ManagementAsian Citrus Psyllid  

Population

1/13/2015 www.citrusrdf.org 13

CLas Bacterial Inoculum

(Pathogen)

Tree SusceptibilityTo HLB and Injury

(Host)

= Reduced HLB DiseaseSeverity

X X

Low Low Low

Transmission Infection Tree Injury

Better DetectionTree RemovalAntimicrobialsTree DefenseThermal TherapyOther Therapy

Optimal Nutrition/IrrigationIncrease Plant DefenseTolerant RootstocksBreeding for ResistanceRoot Health ImpactsAccelerate ProductionReplant Citrus Trees

(Vector)

Research Goals – Short-Term Delivery

14

Retain Health of Existing Trees– Critical for Near‐Term Industry Survival

Provide Tools for Success of New Plantings – Necessary for Stabilizing Loss of Acreage

January 13, 2015 15

Coordinated Grower Practices Citrus Health Management Areas (CHMAs)

Grower Driven, VoluntaryBroader area action better than patchwork

Currently focused on ACP suppressionChemical treatmentsBiological control releases

Good model for adoption of new tools

Could be extended to other solutionsInoculum removal Replanting strategiesTreatment with bactericidesImplementation of tolerant rootstocks

Important forum for grower demonstration, adoption and education

Goals of Clas Chemical Therapy

• Stabilize/reverse decline of chronically infected trees• Reduce titer in canopy and roots with bactericides• Allow for recovery of fruit production while replanting• Treat new infections early• Immediate need for first tools• Communication with registrants and regulatory agencies• Sequential development of better tools• Not viewed as permanent solution

1/13/2015 www.citrusrdf.org 16

Thermal Therapy

• Complementary to chemical therapy

• Solar tent and supplemental heat tactics

• Thousands of trees treated  • Time/temperature refinement• Evaluation of CLas reduction and tree response

• More growers treating small trees with tents

• Commercial scale‐up • MAC Federal funding • Grower Initiatives• Steam‐treatment mechanized• CRDF Evaluation

1/13/2015 www.citrusrdf.org 17

Evaluation of Commercially Available Tools

• Naturally Occurring Microbial Products• Plant Growth Regulators ‐ Fruit Drop due to HLB• Field Trials of Integrated Practices ‐ Root Healthorganic compostorganic acidsacidification of irrigation water and soil

• Evaluation of Advanced Citrus Production Systems• Inoculum RemovalDemonstration of Benefit of RemovalMotivate Larger Scale Inoculum Removal ‐ CHMAs

1/13/2015 www.citrusrdf.org 18

19January 13, 2015

Strategies for New Plantings

New planting incentivesScale‐up of tolerant rootstocksAdvanced citrus production systemsAggressive ACP suppression CHMA support and expansionDemonstration of integrating all available management tools

Everyday Challenges For Citrus

Build‐up of disease inoculum in “unmanaged citrus”Increased costs across the supply chainControversy over neonicotinoid insecticidesGrower reluctance to replantConfidence of lenders Limited alternative agricultural options for citrus landEntire infrastructure at risk

January 13, 2015 20

Future ViewAggressive management is making a differenceTools are emergingGrowers are resilientBut, time is running out…..

Citrus is being Seriously Challenged, but Will Remain an Integral Component of Florida’s Agriculture and Economy

January 13, 2015 21

Thank you!

CRDF is proud to provide support to the Florida citrus industry

Citrus Research and Development Foundation, Inc.

22January 13, 2015