Jerry Newlin On Citrus Health Management Areas

Posted by Christina Herrick|July 1, 2010

In the coming months, Florida Grower’s Citrus Achievement Award winner Jerry Newlin will address important issues of the day. This month, he discusses the topic of citrus health management areas (CHMA).

Newlin: “One of the main recommendations the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) put in their final report on HLB in Florida, was for growers in their effort to combat HLB, to cooperate and work together when their groves are in close proximity to each other. Basically, it just validated one more time what Florida growers have heard from Brazilian growers for several years and what every entomologist in Florida has been preaching from day one. Plus, it just makes good old common sense.

“Remember, the entire concept is completely voluntary. It just takes growers coming together in a particular area and setting up a coordinated effort. Some areas of the state started working together in 2007 and their successes have been well recorded. Usually, it has been the local citrus growers associations that have spearheaded the coordination, but in a few cases, it was just some growers making phone calls and sending eMails.

“Help is on the way. The good news is UF/IFAS, the Citrus Research and Development Foundation, and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services/Division of Plant Industry have stepped up to the plate and have committed resources to help growers with this effort.

“IFAS’s plan is well thought out and extensive, but the truth is this whole endeavor is a work in progress. Historically, farmers are an independent group, but it appears the CHMA approach is catching on. This is a good thing because the NAS report states that even beyond psyllid control, growers working together will be important relative to much of the promising HLB research solutions coming down the road.”