Join us in congratulating Larry Black, VP and GM of Peace River Packing, as the 2021 Citrus Achievement Award Winner.
Florida Grower has awarded the 2021 Citrus Achievement Award to Peace River Packing’s Vice President and General Manager, Larry Black. Black was chosen for “his outstanding service to the industry and for leading by example with innovative growing practices,” according to a Growing Produce article. Get to know Larry Black, and join us in our congratulations, below.
The 2021 Citrus Achievement Award Winner
As the 2021 Citrus Achievement Award winner, Black’s dedication to the citrus industry is evident. According to the article, he has “modified production programs to try to keep trees productive in the face of HLB. And he believes eventually science will find ways to keep the disease in check.”
Black said in the article, “Unfortunately, we’ve learned there’s no silver bullet for HLB. HLB is a very complex bacteria, and finding solutions has been tough and elusive. When we first found the disease 15 years ago, I never imagined the dramatic impact on production. Today’s production is only a fraction of what it was back then.”
Black has served on the board of the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) for a decade, two of which he served as President. He is a big proponent of CRISPR. “CRISPR is already being used and studied in a multitude of crops to improve quality and productivity. If we can take the existing varieties we know do well in Florida and edit out the genes that make the tree susceptible to HLB, that is an ideal solution,” he said in the article.
He also serves on the board of Florida Citrus Mutual and is the fourth generation to run Peace River Packing, which is owned and operated through a cooperative structure.
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.