The anticipation was palpable. For most readers of this magazine, the lead-up to the approval of the Florida budget – and its financial boost for Florida citrus – was the subject of much attention and speculation.
But if you’re reading this, you already know how that turned out. Anything I say on the matter is old news. Instead, I’m shifting to what may be the most important takeaway I can offer to growers who want to incorporate Tree Defender into their management process, and especially those planning to participate in a CRAFT trial.
Are you ready? Here it is: Plan ahead.
Tree Defender IPCs need to be contracted at the same time as the trees are booked.
Although obtaining the patented Tree Defender does not require the same lead time as the trees themselves, we’re seeing complications arise when growers wait too long to secure their Tree Defender IPCs. In some cases, growers are waiting until well after they order their trees!
This delay creates a bottleneck. Nurseries are left holding trees because growers haven’t yet ordered their IPCs. Meanwhile, growers hesitate to order their IPCs until their trees are ready for delivery.
This catch-22 causes costly delays across the board and can seriously disrupt planting initiative timelines if we don’t work together and get ahead of it.
By contracting IPCs at the same time as your trees, you not only avoid delays but also help to optimize the entire supply chain. Coordinated planning means better pricing, more efficient shipping, steady access to raw materials, and reduced labor costs.
All of that adds up to a more affordable product for growers.
After all, it’s our grower partners we are here to support.
We created — and continue to innovate — the Tree Defender with growers at the forefront of our minds. Ours is the only IPC with a patented production process and that has been proven to protect trees from greening. Years of research and real-world trials have allowed trees to grow disease-free and produce larger, superior quality fruit for a longer period of time.
Study after study confirms what we have said all along: The Tree Defender creates a path forward for citrus to not only survive but thrive.
Just remember: Like most everything else in agriculture, timing is everything.