Brought to you buy some sort of Chinese bacteria if you believe the propaganda pre$$.
"Researchers funded by the industry, the state and the US Department of Agriculture are exploring an option that could save the trees and their citrus, but also turn off consumers: engineering and planting genetically modified trees that are resistant to the bacteria"
Related: California Vote Leaves Bad Taste in My Mouth
And the Florida orange juice is bitter!
"Bacteria from China pose threat to Fla. citrus industry; Provider of 80 percent of juice in US faces risk" by Darryl Fears | Washington Post, January 19, 2014
WASHINGTON — Taken aback by the sickly look of the trees. Their leaves were an inch shorter than normal and yellowing. Full-size oranges were still apple green. Other mature oranges that should have been the size of baseballs were no bigger than ping-pong balls….
The effects of the deep freeze Florida recently went through?
It’s the new norm in the Sunshine State, where about half the trees in every citrus orchard are stricken with an incurable bacterial infection from China….
After all the agenda-pushing lies, omissions, and obfuscations I am really supposed to believe this?
Just one more reason to wage war on China and stiff 'em on those Treasury bonds they were foolish enough to buy, huh? Wish our corporate ma$ters hadn't sent all the factories over there, but….
Growers, agriculturalists, and academics liken it to cancer….
The bacteria is spread by a tiny, invasive bug also from China, called Asian citrus psyllid….
Related: Destructive beetles are spreading in Massachusetts
Florida citrus, which provides up to 80 percent of America’s orange juice, has been hardest hit, but the disease — which also has an African and Latin American strain — also has been detected in Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, and California.
It has spread to other parts of the world, including Mexico, India, sub-Saharan Africa, and Brazil, which provides nearly 20 percent of the orange juice Americans drink. In each case, the impact to citrus has been devastating.
Worldwide concern prompted 500 scientists from more than 20 nations to gather in Orlando last February for a conference….
Despite the fact that nearly $80 million has been poured into research on the disease, scientists still don’t know how to eliminate the bacteria or remove it from trees.
Even those who are optimistic about a scientific breakthrough admit that if the infection continues unabated for another decade or so — admittedly one of the worst possible outcomes — Florida’s $9 billion citrus industry could be destroyed.
‘‘What’s at stake is orange juice on the breakfast table,’’ said Michael Sparks, chief executive of Florida Citrus Mutual, a trade association….
Researchers funded by the industry, the state and the US Department of Agriculture are exploring an option that could save the trees and their citrus, but also turn off consumers: engineering and planting genetically modified trees that are resistant to the bacteria carried by the psyllid.
‘‘Would that be accepted by the public?’’ Sparks asked. ‘‘You don’t have to do a focus group or another survey to know it is a public concern.’’
He said he and the growers hope they don’t get to the point where they have to use a genetically modified plant.
Someone might, though, and I think their name is Monsanto!
The threat to the world’s citrus production is another example of how, in an era of global trade and travel, viruses, insects, and animals are inadvertently transported to places they don’t belong.
As the planet is made even hotter!
Now literally pay out of your ass the carbon tax.
Even before being hit by the disease, Florida’s orange, grapefruit, and specialty fruit crops faced many threats….
And they always seemed to make it through until now, huh?
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Good thing I can't drink orange juice. Too acidic.
