When searching for a great Valentine's Day gift, you might consider the enchanting orchid.University of Florida experts say the flowers last longer than many other plants, some emit a beautiful aroma, they come in a wide variety of colors, many are affordable, and the plant can be added to a landscape tree once the blooms fade.

Citrus growers called on lawmakers Tuesday to continue providing research and advertising money to help an industry that has seen production drop more than 90 percent in less than three decades.Otherwise, they cautioned that more of the roughly 1,500 remaining citrus growers in the state could exit the industry.

An Alico news release Monday described the changes as a “strategic transformation to become a diversified land company.” It said the company owns 53,371 acres of land in eight Florida counties and about 48,700 acres of oil, gas and mineral rights.

Damage from Hurricane Milton is driving down citrus production from what was already expected to be a historic low in the current growing season, according to a federal report released Tuesday.

Use of technology and growing more on less land are major keys to survival for the Florida agriculture industry.

A Southwest Florida rancher is getting a high honor: he's going into the Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame. "When I got the call, it was extremely humbling," Jim Strickland said.

Advocates of the technology say it will ease the sector’s labor shortage, help farmers manage rising costs, and provide workers with respite from extreme weather — issues that are closely related to climate change.

The amount of land in Florida dedicated to growing citrus continues to shrink.Reports issued last week by the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Florida had 17 percent fewer acres used for growing oranges, grapefruit and other citrus than in 2023, though the harvest during the 2023-2024 growing season was valued 6 percent higher than the previous season.

The South Florida Water Management District plans to conduct a 118-acre prescribed burn in the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed (CREW) Management Area in Collier County today.

Gardeners can learn about Florida-Friendly plants at a Lee County Parks & Recreation event on August 10.