Florida producers will soon be planting strawberries in a few weeks. The popular variety choice this year is expected to be Brilliance, says Vance Whitaker, strawberry breeder at the University of Florida Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, . Released in 2017, Brilliance provides growers fruit early in the season. It’s a desirable trait not all varieties are able to …
Tomato Industry Expert: Inspections Running Smoothly
Though Mexican exports of tomatoes have not reached the ‘peak’ season, inspections appear to be running smoothly and efficiently, says Michael Schadler, executive vice president of the Florida Tomato Exchange. The inspection provision, which was part of the Tomato Suspension Agreement established in September, 2019 between the U.S. Department of Commerce and Mexican tomato exporters, allows for the United States …
Sneak Peek: September 2020 VSCNews Magazine
The September issue of VSCNews magazine is packed with information about breeding updates and new varieties. Readers can see what’s new in strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and cucurbits. Breeding new varieties is a vital component to push agriculture forward. The University of Florida (UF) is a leader in the breeding industry. Recently, blackberries have emerged as an alternative crop in Florida. …
Florida Setting the Bar for Hemp Programs
By Tacy Callies Holly Bell, director of cannabis for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), gave an update on Florida’s hemp program as part of the Citrus Expo virtual general session. “Florida is becoming the leader in the country — if not the world —on how we’re getting our hemp program rolled out and the standards that …
H-2A Applications Processed Effectively in Timely Manner Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
Third quarter data from the Department of Labor (DOL) shows H-2A applications were processed effectively and in a timely manner even during the early onset of the coronavirus pandemic, according to Veronica Nigh, economist with American Farm Bureau. “With as much transition as there was for just the physical staff up here in D.C. and DOL, going from working in …
World Outreach Helps UF Strawberry Breeding Program
By: Brad Buck, 813-757-2224, bradbuck@ufl.edu, 352-875-2641 (cell) BALM, Florida — UF/IFAS-bred strawberries are grown in over 70 countries across six continents. One of those countries, Egypt, ranks among the top strawberry-producing nations in the world. So, it seems fitting that an Egyptian-American scientist is leading an effort to facilitate the expansion of production of UF/IFAS-bred strawberries internationally. Behind the United …
Mexican Exports Eroding Florida Specialty Crop Markets
By Tacy Callies Florida fruit and vegetable growers are acutely aware of the negative impacts that Mexico’s exports have had on their ability to remain competitive. In a recent virtual presentation on the subject, Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association President Mike Joyner shared some shocking statistics from a Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) report. Published in July, …
Plan in Place?
USTR Sets Sept. 1 Date for Response to Hearings Florida and Georgia seasonal produce farmers who testified in hearings regarding unfair trade practices the past two weeks should not have to wait long to see how the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office will respond to their concerns with Mexico. Charles Hall, executive director of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association …
2020-’21 UF/IFAS Citrus Production Guide Available
By: Ruth Borger, 517-803-7631, rborger@ufl.edu LAKE ALFRED, Fla. — While the coronavirus pandemic has changed much of the University of Florida citrus programming, one annual tradition continues, albeit with some changes. The 2020-2021 UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Citrus Production Guide is now available to growers, just as it has in years past. The difference is that growers …
Response Requested From Ag, Marine Industry Professionals for New Round of Surveys
By: Kirsten Romaguera, 352-294-3313, kromaguera@ufl.edu GAINESVILLE, Fla. — University of Florida researchers have opened the second round of surveys on COVID-19’s impact on the state’s agriculture and marine industries, intended to capture changes in operations for the first half of the year. The Assessment of COVID-19 Impacts on Florida surveys were first deployed in mid-April and closed in mid-May, offering …