Clewiston, FL— Judy Sanchez, Senior Director of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs at U.S. Sugar, issued the following statement on the company’s motion to dismiss filed in response to a baseless lawsuit brought against sugarcane farmers: “Publicly available air quality monitoring data maintained by the state of Florida has shown, and continues to show, that the Glades communities have some …
Soil Sample for Nematodes Now
The time is now to soil sample for nematodes, says Pablo Navia, Adama Technical Development Leader for East Region. “This is the best time since populations of nematodes are really high right now in the soil. There’s still some roots that they are feeding on. This is the best time to sample,” Navia said. “It’s a good way to know …
Southeastern Farmer of Year Winner to be Named at ’21 Sunbelt Ag Expo
Contact: Becca Turner(229) 985-1968 x2228 Due to the cancellation of the 2020 Sunbelt Ag Expo show, plans for the selection of the 2020 Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Ag Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year Winner have been amended. Originally, this year’s judging tour was planned for August 10-14. Due to current health concerns, the tour has been postponed indefinitely. 2020 State Winners …
Commissioner Fried Pleads for Secretary Perdue Expand CFAP to Include More Commodities
Tallahassee, Fla. – Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried wrote to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue on Tuesday, once again asking the USDA to expand eligibility for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) to include additional agricultural commodities. On July 9, the USDA announced expanded CFAP eligibility that included many impacted Florida crops, but aquaculture and horticulture commodities were not …
CFAP Deadline is Aug. 28
Farmers impacted by COVID-19 and hoping to take advantage of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program have a little more than three weeks left before the Aug. 28 deadline. That is when the United States Department of Agriculture will stop accepting applications from producers. Through CFAP, USDA made available $16 billion in financial assistance to producers of agricultural commodities who have …
Auburn Economist Skeptical About Upcoming Trade Hearings
Two hearings on Aug. 13 and Aug. 20 with the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office will provide growers from Georgia and Florida the chance to voice their concerns over unfair trade. However, one economist is skeptical about the potential impact these hearings will have. Adam Rabinowitz, Associate Professor and Extension Economist at Auburn University, points to the lack of coverage for …
Senate Passes Resolution Declaring July “National Blueberry Month”
July 31, 2020, Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Senate has passed a resolution designating July 2020 as National Blueberry Month, recognizing the contributions of the U.S. blueberry industry and acknowledging that purchasing blueberries supports farmers, jobs and the economy. The resolution echoes a proclamation from U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue in March. Senate resolution (S.Res. 656) was sponsored by …
Management of Thrips in Tomatoes
By Xavier Martini and Joe Funderburk Thrips are important pests of tomatoes for two reasons. First, they damage fruit directly by egg-laying or feeding (Figure 1). More importantly, some species also vector tospoviruses that include tomato spotted wilt virus, groundnut ringspot virus and tomato chlorotic spot virus. These tospoviruses can considerably decrease the crop yield if thrips are not controlled. …
Hemp Industry Primed for Growth in Florida
One of the first commercial hemp growers in Florida believes the industry is primed for growth in the Sunshine State. “All of the skills and experience and ability to make what you need, to observe and adapt to your environment, those are crucial skills to being successful with the crop and Florida farmers are going to know how to grow …
Technology to Improve Vegetable Production
By Yiannis Ampatzidis Vegetable growers face a variety of challenges, including pest and diseases, labor shortages and climate change. How can new advancements in technology help growers address these challenges? Can technology improve crops, reduce production costs and protect the environment? How can technological innovations be incorporated into traditional farming to improve production practices? In the last few decades, several …