For many Florida farmers and ranchers, “A Land Remembered” is a treasured piece of historical fiction. The novel chronicles the lives of three generations of the MacIvey family in Florida from the 1850s to the 1960s. There has been a lot of buzz about a new TV series that is being made based on the book. Todd Wiseman Jr., who …
Harvest Season Winding Down for North Florida Watermelon Producers
By Clint Thompson North Florida watermelons continue to be harvested across the Suwanee Valley Region. It won’t be long before growers can call it a season, according to Bob Hochmuth, UF/IFAS Regional Specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, Florida. Various factors will impact how much longer producers will harvest this year’s crop. “I think the market will drive a lot …
Secretary Rollins, Congresswoman Cammack Discuss Disaster Assistance During Hearing
By Clint Thompson U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins’ testimony at the June 4 hearing with the House Committee on Agriculture included a brief discussion with Florida Congresswoman Kat Cammack (R-FL) about disaster assistance. Cammack and Congressman Scott Franklin (FL-18) introduced the bipartisan Freeze Disaster Assistance Act in early June that would provide $3.5 billion in disaster assistance to aid …
Drought Monitor Update Across Southeast
Exceptional drought conditions have all but gone away in South Georgia, while they have also been drastically reduced in North Florida. This is according to the June 4 release of the U.S. Drought Monitor. Georgia Exceptional drought in Georgia has been reduced to the southernmost areas in Lowndes and Echols counties. The surrounding Southeast Georgia area is still observing extreme …
Specialty Crop Grower Magazine: Food Security is National Security
By Frank Giles The headlines have been full of stories in recent months about fraud in various things like daycare services and Medicaid. It shines a light on a huge problem that needs to be addressed and corrected, especially with a U.S. national debt expected to surpass $40 trillion this year. The media attention has caused some conversations to zoom …
Florida Legislative Budget Awaits Gov. Signature
The Florida Legislature has approved a budget and now wait for Gov. Ron DeSantis’ signature before the start of the next fiscal year beginning July 1. As constructed, the budget would provide funding for multiple programs that would benefit the state’s farmers. It was announced that the state legislature approved a $114.5 billion budget following the regular session and special …
Downy Mildew’s Impact in Suwanee Valley
By Clint Thompson Downy mildew’s confirmation in North Florida watermelons was later than normal this year. But it still could impact certain watermelon fields in the Suwanee Valley Region. Bob Hochmuth, UF/IFAS Regional Specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, Florida, talks more about the disease in an interview with AgNet Media. “Some (farmers) are, you know, maybe one harvest away …
Tomato Field Day Features New Varieties Under Development
In late May, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Gulf Coast Research and Education Center in Wimauma hosted its annual tomato field day. Attendees were able to see new varieties that are in development and attend seminar presentations after the field tour concluded. Jessica Chitwood-Brown, UF/IFAS assistant professor of horticulture and tomato breeding, guided tours …
Be Prepared for Hurricane Season
Hurricane season officially began on June 1. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is imploring producers to stay prepared for potential impacts and explore recovery resources. Be Prepared Growers should protect their families and production operations. This includes: USDA Assistance for Hurricane Recovery Source: USDA Sponsored ContentNew Syngenta Varieties Offer Grower SolutionsFebruary 1, 2026Attribute® II Technology Adds More Flexibility and …
Reliable Research: Strawberry Producers Rely on UF/IFAS Plant Pathologists for Disease Diagnoses
Strawberry growers across the country aren’t just tending fields – they’re often running a quiet race against fast-moving plant diseases. When trouble strikes, their first call is often to the plant pathologists at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC). The latest culprit has entered the scene in the form of Fusarium wilt disease, which is popping up along …



















