The industry sponsored BSL3 facility being built in Riverside jumped a major hurdle this past Tuesday. A containment facility of this sort must past a certification inspection conducted by USDA. The only other facility that can research critical bacteria or virus needs for agriculture is located on the Davis campus and is significantly over subscribed [...]
How close you ask? The facility passed a final pre-certification test last week and now the California Citrus Research Foundation (CCRF) awaits confirmation from USDA as to when they will visit, inspect, and ultimately communicate the lab is open for business. A vision started by the University of California Riverside was given life when the [...]
Historically the relationship with the California citrus industry and the Agricultural Research Service/USDA had been a strong one but in recent years the relationship has been tested. Staff changes at ARS, a clear need to focus on HLB in Florida and priority reduction for California needs has frustrated industry research leaders and most notably the [...]
The Citrus Research Board (CRB) has launched a nationwide search for a new president for the organization and a search committee is being formed. “This year marks the Citrus Research Board’s 50th anniversary,” said CRB Chairman Dan Dreyer. “As we celebrate this milestone, we also are rededicating ourselves to do our utmost to ensure the [...]
The Senate Agriculture Committee on Wednesday passed the Agriculture Improvement Act by a vote of 20 - 1. Majority Leader McConnell has committed to consider the bill prior to the 4th of July congressional work period. For the citrus industry and the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance, many of our policy and resource request were accepted [...]
On Tuesday California Citrus Research Foundation Trustees traveled to Riverside to ascertain why facility completion remains behind schedule. Representatives from the construction firm and UCR were queried by Trustees specific to facility specs, proposed research projects, and budget-related issues. To say the least, the session wasn’t all sugar and spice but 95% of the work has [...]
As reported in last week’s Market Memo, CCM Chairman Curt Holmes, President Joel Nelsen, and Executive Vice President Casey Creamer were in Washington, D.C. last week to discuss our federal priorities. Little did we know that as we were boarding the plane that we would be in the middle of a huge trade dispute, as [...]
The University of California at Riverside and the Citrus Research Board partnered to host the UC Riverside Citrus Day for the Industry on February 6, 2018, in Riverside, California. Citrus Day began with an update on changes impacting citrus, presented by Ruben Arroyo, Riverside County Ag Commissioner. Ruben discussed new pesticide regulations, namely Assembly Bill [...]
Media Contact: Alyssa Houtby, Director of Government Affairs (559) 592-3790 Industry-Funded HLB Research Facility Now Accepting Project Applications Exeter, CA, January 17, 2018 - California Citrus Mutual, together with the California Citrus Research Foundation and the University of California, Riverside are pleased to announce that applications are now being accepted for research space in the newly built [...]
The Citrus Research Foundation Board of Trustees has appointed Ben Quillian as executive director of the Foundation and general manager of the biosecurity level 3 research facility at UC Riverside. Ben joins the citrus industry following a long and successful career in the California State University system. The citrus industry was first introduced to Ben [...]
