Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a historic $116.5 billion budget last week for the 2023-24 fiscal year. Included were important victories for the agricultural industry, especially those in the specialty crop sector. The Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association (FFVA) sent an email to its members last week, outlying the impact from the budget on the state’s agricultural sector. The University …
Lipman Family Farms Celebrates 75 Years
By Clint Thompson A company that has remained sustainable and profitable for 75 years in the current economic climate is a modern-day success story. PRIORITIZING PEOPLEThe secret to Lipman Family Farms’ success is it prioritizes people. This includes its large workforce as well as the desires of consumers who purchase its various specialty crops every day. This prioritization allows Lipman …
Agricultural Water and Regulatory Updates for Produce Growers
By Camila Rodrigues Food-safety regulations are constantly evolving to ensure food is safe and free from harmful contaminants. One area that has received increased attention in recent years is water used in food production and processing. Water is an essential component for the production of raw agricultural commodities. It is used to irrigate crops, clean equipment and facilities, and wash …
Gas Prices Decreasing Across Southeast
Gas prices are decreasing across the U.S., especially in the Southeast, according to AAA. Prices have dropped significantly over the past month and more than $1 per gallon over the previous year. As of Monday, a regular gallon of gasoline in Florida costs an average of $3.40, compared to $3.47 a week ago, $3.71 a month ago and $4.48 a …
Adaptability Vital for Peach Producer
Risk mitigation through variety diversity helps Titan Farms succeed. By Clint Thompson Adaptability fuels Titan Farms’ success as a national leader in peach production. It will be the key for Chalmers Carr as his South Carolina-based farming operation navigates the current challenges facing peach producers. “There are generational farms where people may not want to have the same risk profile. …
The Key to Effective Decision Making
By Tiffany Bailey How many times have you made a mistake and wished you could go back in time to make a different decision? Chances are, several of these mistakes started from decisions that were made utilizing a set of assumptions that became obviously wrong with the passage of time. The hard truth is that if more thought would have …
An Advocate for All Growers
By Clint Thompson Karla Thompson is a lawyer by training and farmer by marriage. That combination makes her one of the Southeast’s leading advocates for growers. “I think with advocacy work it really helps because I understand the misperceptions and ideas that people have about the ag industry because I had them myself,” Thompson says. “Before I got involved in …
How Dire Is the Diesel Situation?
By Frank Giles During the past couple of years, we’ve gotten accustomed to sticker shock as inflation has hit fertilizer, energy, food and more. Prices for diesel are up, and there have been concerns raised about looming diesel shortages. Diesel literally fuels agriculture and the transportation of food in this country. It caught the public’s attention when headlines ran that …
5 Tips for Hurricane Reporting and Documentation
As growers begin to assess the damage left by Hurricane Ian, there’s some important considerations to keep in mind. Kimberly Lott, with Crop Disaster Recovery, provides five tips. She noted that many growers didn’t receive the full amount of money they could have been eligible for after Hurricane Irma — reporting and documentation are key. 1. REPORT LOSSES, GET INSPECTIONGrowers …
Hurricane Ian Damage Assessment Gets Underway
By Frank Giles There is no question Hurricane Ian will go down as a historic catastrophe in Florida. It’s impact on agriculture will likely be historic as well. While it is too early to know the full extent of damage, AgNet Media is reaching out to growers and various industry associations and agencies to learn the extent of damage to …