Wish Farms Brings Industry, Community Together To Raise More than $660,000 for Event Beneficiaries

Clint ThompsonFlorida

Plant City, FL (11/10/2026) – Plant City-based, international grower and year-round marketer of strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and pineberries, Wish Farms held its signature charity concert, PixieRock, on Nov. 7, raising more than $660,000 for its nonprofit event beneficiaries. Hosted at the company’s one-of-a-kind Plant City headquarters, PixieRock brought together nearly 1,000 attendees for an evening centered on live music, …

Kula Bio Announces Distribution Agreement with Harrell’s Specialty Agriculture

Dan CooperBiologicals, Florida, Specialty Crops

Kula Bio recently announced a new distribution agreement with Harrell’s Specialty Agriculture, expanding access to Kula Bio’s nitrogen-fixing biological solutions for specialty crop growers throughout Florida. According to a press release from the companies, the agreement combines Kula Bio’s breakthrough biological nitrogen technology with Harrell’s longstanding commitment to agronomic service and grower success. Through its specialty agriculture business, Harrell’s serves …

Specialty Crop Grower Magazine: Reconnecting Consumers With Fresh Produce

Clint ThompsonFlorida

By Elyse Lipman I’ve been close to Southeast produce my entire life, and it’s been my privilege to watch the family business, Lipman Family Farms, grow. No matter how much of the North American map we cover, we’re still Florida growers at heart. But I’m also a consumer, and even though I’m immersed in day-to-day operations, it can be easy to lose track of the enormous effort it takes to bring …

Syngenta Announces New Crop Protection Products

Clint ThompsonFlorida

By Frank Giles In October, Syngenta hosted a summit for agricultural trade media from across the United States. The event, held in Orlando, brought in leadership from the company to provide insights on current conditions impacting the crop protection market and new active ingredients. Jeff Cecil, Syngenta regional director of North American crop protection, gave a big-picture snapshot of how …

USDA Seeks Applications for NAREEE Advisory Board, Citrus Disease Subcommittee Membership

Clint ThompsonFlorida

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Office of the Chief Scientist is soliciting applications for membership to the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education and Economics (NAREEE) Advisory Board and the Citrus Disease Subcommittee (CDS). NAREEE NAREEE is the advisory board charged with providing advice to the Secretary of Agriculture and land-grant universities on top priorities and policies …

Florida Citrus Crop Update Amid Flooding

Clint ThompsonFlorida

By Clint Thompson Flash flooding in central and southern Florida this week led to a state of emergency being declared by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. It’s also led to concerns for the region’s citrus producers who have started harvest season. Steven Callaham, executive vice president and CEO of the Dundee Citrus Growers Association, talked about the flooding’s impact on trees …

Florida Flooding Impacting Vegetable Plantings

Clint ThompsonFlorida

By Clint Thompson Flooding issues in South Florida are impacting farming operations across the region. “For sure, planting schedules will be a little bit delayed, because it’s just too hard to go into the fields right now,” said Anna Meszaros, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension commercial horticulture agent in West Palm Beach, Florida. High …

Specialty Crop Grower Magazine: Lessons Learned from Generational Freeze Event

Clint ThompsonFlorida

By Clint Thompson A generational freeze wreaked havoc on Florida’s blueberry crop this past season. “I have never seen temperatures like we experienced. I had several growers calling my phone and asking what to do. My honest reply was that this is something I dont have any experience with because it is quite an unusual event,” said Gerardo Nunez, assistant …

Rep. Steube Sends Letter to USTR, Urges Protections for Specialty Crop Growers

Clint ThompsonFlorida

U.S. Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.) is urging U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer to secure protections for Florida specialty crop growers amid trade negotiations with Mexico. Steube sent a letter on Oct. 22, highlighting the impact that seasonal Mexican produce imports have had on his state’s growers. He called for product-specific tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) that are enforceable and implemented in …

Sneak Peek: November 2026 Specialty Crop Grower Magazine

Clint ThompsonFlorida

In this month’s sneak peek, the November issue of Specialty Crop Grower Magazine focuses on the fruit and vegetable industry moving forward after the cyclospora fallout. The cyclospora outbreak during the summer will be remembered as one of the largest foodborne illness outbreaks in U.S. history. The outbreak will serve as a reminder for growers to reaffirm that all food-safety …