Citrus Research and Field Trials (CRAFT) Program Year One

Citrus Research and Field Trials (CRAFT) Program Year One

Report Date: 07/10/2020
Project: 19-029C   Year: 2020
Category: Horticultural & Management
Author: Kristen Carlson
Sponsor: Citrus Research and Development Foundation

The contract executed between CRAFT and CRDF was effective November 6, 2019. Project development and approval continued through the period ending June 30, 2020 and invoices for payment from CRAFT to CRDF continued to be sent to CRDF accounting for the total 2,002 contracted acres. PROJECT SELECTION & DEVELOPMENT:Throughout this Quarter, CRAFT Technical Working Group and staff continued to work with applicants to finalize experimental designs and contracts related to all proprosed projects. A total of 45 projects were established and sucessfully enrolled in the CRAFT program at the end of this Quarter, amounting to a total of 2,002 program acres.Pre-audits of each project are used to confirm the planting of trees and compliance with contract to date. The contract and experimental designs for each project are available upon request. As of June 30, 2020 all 45 projects were either fully planted or underway and extended pursuant to CRDF contract as amended. The 16 projects extended based on widespread delays in the delivery of contracted trees from citrus nurseries will continue to be planted as trees are received from the nurseries. At this time the initial data for the first and second quarterly report has been collected for the completed CRAFT participant contracts/projects on the USDA portal. Growers have each been assigned their own portal survey access and dashboard. The data from growers is expected to be entered in real time or at least quarterly. The data portal will include a separate entry point for data/ measurements from third party partners (such as FDACS/DPI) and has not been finalized.  Data entered by participants and third parties for each project will be visible initially by the growers for their individual projects.  In addition to execution of contracts and commencement of projects, CRAFT staff conducted numerous industry information sessions and communications outreach events. Communications include articles in multiple industry and general publications; public meetings of the Technical Working Group and Board of Directors; public workshops including a two-day Zoom workshop focusing on Cycle Two of the program; and more. A full list of communications efforts is available upon request. One hundred percent of objectives completed for the period of November 6, 2019 – June 30, 2020 based on full enrollment of program acres in demonstration projects, data collection and outreach activities.  


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