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Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Florida”
Bacterial spot disease isn’t just a nuisance for tomato growers – it’s a relentless, weather-powered villain that can ruin a field of promising fruit. When warm rains roll in and humidity hangs in the air, the pathogen behind bacterial spot comes alive, spreading fast and scarring tomatoes so they can’t be sold. Growers rely on fungicides to fight the disease, …
By Clint Thompson The July 9 release of the U.S. Drought Monitor shows minor change to the drought conditions being observed across the Southeast. Florida The driest area in Florida remains in the northern area of the state. Extreme drought is still being experienced in the area, starting as far west as Franklin and Wakulla counties, stretching eastward to Duval, …
Early bird registration for Florida’s 52nd annual Agricultural Labor Relations Forum ends Wednesday, July 15. This year’s forum, presented by the Florida Specialty Crop Foundation, is scheduled for Aug. 12-14 in Orlando, Florida. The labor forum is designed to educate agricultural employers, producers, shippers, contractors and other employers on compliance with labor laws and relations practices. Highlights of this year’s …
By Frank Giles Many people involved in specialty crop production in the Southeast know the name Gene McAvoy. He was inducted into the Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame in 2024 for his 25-year career serving University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension and for many other roles in agriculture. He operates an active ag consulting service today. …
By Clint Thompson The final email sent to North Florida watermelon producers by Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Regional Specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, Florida, recapped this season in the Suwannee Valley. Hochmuth once again stressed the significance of fusarium wilt and nutsedge and their impacts on watermelon production in the region. …
By Clint Thompson Muhammad Shahid, assistant professor of horticulture at University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), has only conducted blackberry research since 2022 but has quickly realized how vital pruning is to successful blackberry production in the Southeast. “Pruning is very critical because if you will keep the branches, which give you the fruit, it will …
By Clint Thompson Soil moisture sensors are used by most large-acre farmers in Florida, according to one industry expert. Extension personnel can help growers use the technology more effectively, says Jay Capasso, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Water Resources Regional Specialized Agent for Northeast District Capasso was a featured speaker during the recent Georgia-Florida Irrigation …
By Clint Thompson Ryan Atwood may be one blueberry farmer in Florida, but he speaks for many Southeast specialty crop growers who believe change needed to be made to the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). That change could be on the way. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer issued a statement on July 1 that indicated the United States did not agree to …
MAITLAND, Fla. — The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) recently affirmed that dumped imports of fresh tomatoes from Mexico are continuing to threaten the U.S. tomato industry, ending the Changed Circumstances Review brought by Mexican producers and keeping the antidumping duty order on fresh tomatoes from Mexico fully in force. The decision concludes a review the commission instituted on Jan. …
In this month’s sneak peek, the July issue of Specialty Crop Grower Magazine highlights artificial intelligence and its progress in the agricultural sector. The U.S. market value of AI in agriculture has surpassed $1 billion, though expectations are for that number to increase. AI’s costs remain the biggest barrier to specialty crop producers adopting it on a wide commercial scale. …
