The wait is almost over! Tomorrow, the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo opens at the Caloosa Sound Convention Center in beautiful downtown Fort Myers. Doors open at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 12, so plan to arrive early, enjoy complimentary coffee and breakfast, visit with exhibitors and get settled before the first seminar begins at 8:30 a.m. Over the next …

As you plan your visit to the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo, please review the parking information below. Registration LocationAttendee registration is located inside the main entrance of the Caloosa Sound Convention Center: 1375 Monroe StreetFort Myers, FL 33901 Staying at the Luminary Hotel?If you’re staying at the Luminary Hotel, you may park at the hotel parking garage. To walk …

There’s still time to register! If you haven’t registered for the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo yet, now is the time. Preregistration closes at 12:00 p.m. (noon) on Friday, Aug. 7. By preregistering, you’ll enjoy a faster check-in experience when you arrive at the Caloosa Sound Convention Center on Aug. 12 and 13. Simply stop by the preregistration counter, pick …

This year’s Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo has a lot to offer vegetable producers. A session on pest management will cover challenges growers face in fields, including whitefly-transmitted viruses, thrips, pepper weevils and more. Talks on biopesticides and nematode management with reduced-risk nematicides and cover crops will also be presented. The specialty crop seminars will discuss in depth how to …

For years, conversations surrounding Florida citrus have often centered on challenges: HLB, hurricanes, freezes and shrinking production. But today, there is a different feeling taking hold across the industry. A renewed sense of optimism will be on full display at the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo Aug. 12–13 in Fort Myers, where the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) is returning …

The citrus seminar agenda for this year’s Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo can be found here. The program is packed full of information for growers looking to keep the momentum going after this season’s crop finished on a positive note, despite the freeze earlier this year. One reason for optimism – and for citrus production and quality improving – has …

Citrus breeders have increased the volume of varieties in development over the years in the search for HLB-resistant lines. This work has yielded results, but also more selections for growers to evaluate. For the past several years, John Chater, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences assistant professor of horticultural sciences, has been charged with acting as a …

This year’s Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo will provide seminars on a range of topics, including vegetables, alternative crops and citrus. For Florida vegetable growers, more than four hours of educational programming will be available. Some of the presentations will address pest management, including whitefly. There will also be a discussion on how to optimize production in plasticulture crops, which …

Growers received welcomed news in June when trunk-injection therapy of oxytetracycline (OTC) was cleared for continued applications next season. Some growers have said the treatment has helped save groves from loss due to HLB.   Ute Albrecht, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences associate professor, has been one of the lead researchers on OTC applications and its effectiveness. …

Florida FFA recently announced its newly elected 2026–27 state officer team. This outstanding group of young leaders will be joining AgNet Media in Fort Myers this August to volunteer at the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo. Each year, the Florida FFA state officers play an important role in helping create a welcoming and successful experience for attendees and exhibitors. Their …