Florida citrus acreage and production continue to decline
Florida’s once-dominant citrus industry is being squeezed for land at an accelerating rate. The U.S. Department of Agriculture this week reported that the industry is entering the 2025-2026 growing season with 208,183 acres in use for producing oranges, grapefruit and specialty fruits, 24 percent fewer acres than a year ago. That follows a 17 percent reduction in acreage heading into the 2024-2025 season, which was the worst for production in a century. Since 2020, the land is down 75 percent. More from the News Service of Florida and the Packer.
A new storm could form in the Atlantic as soon as this weekend and head west
The tropical wave in the Atlantic is likely to develop into a tropical storm in the next few days, but it’s not quite there yet. On Friday morning, the system was still disorganized. And some of the longer-range computer models, known as spaghetti models, now forecast that the system will fall apart under the strain of too much dry air. But most of the other models still show the system getting its act together and becoming the next named storm of the season. More from the Tampa Bay Times and the Orlando Sentinel.
FAA: Starship rockets could delay flights in Orlando, Tampa, South Florida
Future Florida airline flights could face rerouting and delays lasting 40 minutes to two hours during SpaceX's Starship-Super Heavy mega-rocket missions at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the Federal Aviation Administration projects. SpaceX seeks FAA licensing to launch and land up to 44 Starships and Super Heavy boosters per year at pad 39A. These temporary airspace hazard closure zones could trigger ground stops at major international airports in Tampa, Orlando, Miami and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood. More from Florida Today.
Can worms, AI garbage sorters or a trash-ID app help solve Miami-Dade’s waste crisis
Turning yard waste into something called “biochar.” Feeding food scraps to worms or black soldier fly larvae. How about using AI-powered trash cans to sort garbage. Can any of those innovative ideas help solve Miami-Dade’s growing waste crisis? Those three are just a few of the proposals that companies have pitched to a county hoping to find new ways to reduce the steam of waste fastly filling landfills and to improve lagging recycling rates by residents. More from the Miami Herald.
Kissimmee seeks to educate on property taxes amid state push for cuts
Fearing what changes may come with Gov. Ron DeSantis’ push to eliminate property taxes, Kissimmee is looking to launch a public awareness campaign to educate residents on their key role in city finances. “People say it’s political suicide if you say ‘Lets continue charging taxes’ when the state is asking us, or the governor, to remove them,” Mayor Jackie Espinosa said. “But the reality is, how do we fund things?” At the center of the debate is the tax that funds vital city services like public schools, storm water, police and fire departments. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
In navigating tariffs, Florida businesses have options
The effect of tariffs on Florida’s business community is multifaceted. For businesses that rely heavily on imported raw materials or finished goods, tariffs could translate directly into increased costs. Florida's diverse retail and hospitality sectors, which import a wide array of goods from around the world, are also feeling the pinch. [Sponsored report]
Business Beat - Week of September 5th
Get top news-to-know with Florida Trend's headline-focused video newsbrief, hosted by digital content specialist Aimée Alexander.
Business Profile
Sarasota luxury RV company offers 'land yachts' for rent
When Michael Bloomquist’s in-laws asked him to sell their RV about 15 years ago, he had no idea the experience would lead him to start a company. Today Bloomquist and his partners are behind Sarasota-based LiTRV, which stands for Luxury in Travel RV and is pronounced “Lit RV.” It provides high-end motorcoaches (also known as "land yachts") and curated travel experiences.
» Read more from the Business Observer.