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Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Florida”
By Clint Thompson Labor needs remain the top concern for specialty crop growers. That means investments in automation and mechanization are vital to a producer’s long-term success. But that’s easier said than done, explains Dana Brennan, vice president, corporate affairs with Grimmway Farms. Brennan was part of a panel that testified recently during a special hearing on the State of …
By Clint Thompson Tariffs implemented by the Trump Administration this year have been widely praised by some and heavily criticized by others. All will agree they have been impactful one way or another, especially with certain specialty crops destined for exports. The House Committee on Agriculture recently hosted a special hearing on the State of the Specialty Crop Industry. One …
By Clint Thompson The current focus of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Crop Transformation Center is the development of citrus varieties that are resistant to citrus greening disease. The effectiveness of the Center is it’s not just isolated to citrus. Other fruit and vegetable crops will also be studied, says Scott Angle, UF/IFAS Senior …
By Clint Thompson Fruit and vegetable growers who hope to control weed growth with cover crops during the fallow period must remember that this management strategy is not totally effective with every weed, particularly yellow and purple nutsedge. Nathan Boyd, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) professor of horticulture and weed science, focused on the topic …
The October issue of Specialty Crop Grower Magazine highlights blueberries and how global blueberry production is challenging the domestic market. Increased production in other countries challenges Southeast production to supply the demand. Zhengfei Guan, associate professor of economics with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences says over the past 15 years, global blueberry production has more …
Agriculture, forestry and fishing combine to make for the most hazardous industries in the United States, with 23 fatalities per 100,000 full-time workers annually, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. One of the most dangerous tools in farming is the tractor. A new series of videos from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) provides …
Developing Florida’s Agricultural Leaders By Christy Chiarelli “If not us, then who?” That’s a question I ask each class of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Wedgworth Leadership Institute as we consider who is responsible for the future success of agriculture in Florida. In a state with more than 300 commodities, complex water issues, multiple …
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is issuing a second Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP) payment to eligible producers for the 2024 crop year. Of the authorized $10 billion in ECAP assistance, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) has already provided more than $8 billion in payments to eligible producers to mitigate the impacts of increased input costs and …
By Clint Thompson Strawberry planting season is under way across South Florida. Matt Parke, farm manager of Parkesdale Farms in Plant City, Florida, started planting his crop last Thursday. He outlined his list of concerns heading into this production season. “Making sure we’ve got the right (plant) stock, no diseases, make sure those H-words (hurricanes) stay away from us until …
By Frank Giles In the mid-2000s, honey bee colony collapse disorder began to make global headlines as beekeepers and scientists reported elevated bee losses. While the topic faded away from headlines somewhat in ensuing years, it has remained a problem. “It had settled down as a news story, but it remained a big issue in the honey bee world,” said …
