Join us in congratulating the 2023 Citrus Achievement Award Winner, Glenn Beck, and learn about his thoughts on the industry.
Fourth-generation citrus grower and current President of Florida Citrus Mutual, Glenn Beck, was named as the 2023 Citrus Achievement Award Winner. He’s a leader in the industry with his own roots deep in citrus, and his thoughts on the citrus industry were shared in a recent Florida Grower article. Join Griffin Fertilizer in congratulating Beck on the award and see the highlights of the article below.
Thoughts from the 2023 Citrus Achievement Award Winner
Trunk-Injection Therapy: Beck said “We are starting to see some flush and bigger leaves and fruit sizes, and overall tree vigor seems better if we stare at the trees long enough. Trunk injection is the shining star of the day. If it produces favorable results, you will see some growers reengage and get back into planting. Is it going to be the solution from here on out? No, I think that probably will come in the form of a resistant tree. But for now, if it allows us to keep productive in the current environment, we will take it.”
He added, ““I hope everyone gives this treatment a chance. It is not going to be a one-and-done application. It is probably going to take a couple of years. Trees are going to have to grow new roots and phloem, even after we get the bacteria levels reduced. And you can’t replace your regular cultural practices. It must be part of a good cultural package. We know not everybody is going to be able to afford all this, especially after the hurricanes. That’s why we are desperately trying to seek some sort of federal assistance like block grants to help growers.”
Dealing With a Declining Industry: Beck said, “If at all possible, try to stay engaged, even though all answers are not here yet. We are in a race against time just for the land. We know once these groves and lands are repurposed, they don’t come back. I believe these new treatments are going to help us stay engaged and in the game.”
Industry Cooperation: Along with serving as president of Florida Citrus Mutual, Beck also served on the board of directors of the Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) program. He was instrumental in getting OTC-HCl products registered, among many other achievements.
Matt Joyner, the Executive Vice President and CEO of Florida Citrus Mutual, said of Beck, “There is nobody working more tirelessly on a volunteer basis than Glenn Beck. Anything we’ve asked him to do in his role as Mutual president, he has been right there ready to go. And we’ve had our hands full with the freeze, two hurricanes and the state of HLB, along with the work we did to get this label for trunk injection. It has been a busy 18 months at Mutual, and Glenn has worn out the road between his place and our office and made multiple trips to DC and Tallahassee. I can’t say enough how hard he has worked on behalf of the industry. He is a farmer’s farmer. He is still on the tractor and out in the grove. He is getting his hands dirty, going hard at it, but still doing everything we are asking him to do to advocate on behalf of this industry.”
Griffin Fertilizer is committed to helping both growers and ranchers make sound agronomic and economic decisions in order to maximize the health of their grove and pasture. As a full-service custom dry & liquid fertilizer blender and crop protection product distributor, we will continue our mission to further advance Florida agriculture. For questions -or concerns about your farm or pasture, contact us and one of our team will be in touch.