GAINESVILLE, Fla. — As University of Florida economists cross the halfway point in their surveys of Florida’s agriculture and marine industries related to the impacts of COVID-19, initial reports indicate that impacts vary widely across industry types in terms of business closure rates, operations changes, and impacts to sales revenues and employment. In one of the five surveys of the …
Be Careful How You Store Certain Fruits, Vegetables
By Clint Thompson University of Florida post-harvest plant physiologist Jeff Brecht cautions consumers about putting some fruit and vegetables in their refrigerators. Quality commodities like tomatoes, melons, avocados and peaches are chilling sensitive. Consumers need to be wary that too much cooling can affect the quality of certain produce. “I hear complaints about all of those where people say, ‘They’re …
Control Options for Cowpea Curculio
By Ashley Robinson Southerners love cowpeas, also known as southern peas or black-eyed peas. Unfortunately, so do cowpea curculios, a weevil that wreaks havoc on peas grown in the Southeast. University of Georgia (UGA) researchers are working to eliminate the pest. History of the Pest David Riley, professor of Entomology at UGA, has been researching cowpea curculio for the past …
UF Researchers Find Promising New Treatment in Fight to Beat Citrus Greening
By: Ruth Borger, (517) 803-7631, rborger@ufl.edu GAINESVILLE, Fla. — University of Florida researchers have discovered another possible solution to the plague of citrus greening that is impacting Florida’s citrus groves. This new information adds to the growing portfolio of knowledge that UF scientists are amassing to fight the disease. Led by UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences microbiology and …
Spring Is a Perfect Time to Start Composting
By Maria M. Lameiras for CAES News With more time at home on many people’s hands these days, lots of yard work is being tackled, making this year’s International Compost Awareness Week, May 3 through 9, a perfect time to create a home composting system. For the new composter, first find an ideal spot on your property to locate your …
USDA Report Yields Results for 2019 noncitrus/nuts season
By Clint Thompson The United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service released its findings for noncitrus fruits and nuts in the Southern Region for the 2019 crop year. These estimates were based on grower surveys. Avocados: Florida’s production of avocados was up 88% from 2018. Its value of production was up 54%. Yields rebounded in 2019. Utilized production …
UF/IFAS Scientists Help National Team Breed Better Pomegranates
By: Brad Buck, bradbuck@ufl.edu BALM, Fla. — You can enjoy pomegranates in myriad ways. You can toss them in salads, sprinkle their seeds on yogurt or oatmeal or add them to smoothies. When you consume pomegranates, you’ll savor their sweet and sour flavor. You may be drawn not only to their taste, but perhaps to their nutritional value. They contain …
UF/IFAS Industrial Hemp Pilot Project: Progress and Plans
By Lourdes Rodriguez Just past the midpoint of a pilot project to study if industrial hemp grows well in Florida, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers are already looking ahead to see what more they can learn. The UF/IFAS Industrial Hemp Pilot Project team of scientists is engaged in a two-year research project started with hemp plantings in the spring of 2019. A report on the project’s findings will go …
Produce Industry Responds to Accusations
Several produce organizations, including the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association and the Florida Tomato Exchange, issued a letter to legislative leaders in defense of accusations regarding the treatment of farm workers, amid COVID-19. The letter was sent to Mitch McConnell, Senate Majority Leader; Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House; Charles Schumer, Senate Minority Leader; …
UF/IFAS Names Angle New Vice President of Agriculture
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The University of Florida has named J. Scott Angle, director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, to lead the university’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) into the next decade. He is expected to assume the role as vice president for agriculture and natural resources on July 13. Angle will …