Now is your chance to tell the administration: Unfair Mexican trade practices threaten our ability to grow fruits and vegetables. (FFVA) — Representatives from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and the Departments of Agriculture and Commerce will hold a public hearing on April 7 to hear from Florida growers of fresh fruit and vegetables about the severe economic losses …
FDACS Taking Action to Protect Lychee Trees
(FDACS) — The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) is announcing the treatment of lychee trees in Miami-Dade County, the first of eight Florida counties undergoing eradication for lychee erinose mite (LEM) to protect trees and crops from severe damage. To date, only one positive tree has been identified in Miami-Dade County. The mite causes erineum galls (hairy, …
Hemp Production Has Risks
There are risks and significant costs in growing hemp, Tyler Mark warned about 50 attendees at the Florida Agricultural Policy Outlook Conference 2020. The event, hosted by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Food and Resource Economics Department, took place Feb. 27 at the Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred. Mark, a University of …
Florida Farm Values Reported at Land Conference
Reports on 2019 land sales for row crops in Central Florida and several crops in the Homestead area were released at the Feb. 27-28 Lay of the Land Florida Land Conference in Lakeland. The reports were prepared by SVN | Saunders Ralston Dantzler Real Estate. A report declared that sales in 2019 far exceeded those of 2018 for row crop …
UF Water Institute Symposium Addresses Complex Issues
By Ashley Robinson Water is an issue that touches every Florida resident and community. How much we have, its quality and how we use it are concerns that are rising to the forefront of legislature and public policy. Scientists, industry representatives and public policymakers came together to focus on critical issues facing the future of Florida’s water at the 7th …
Building a Stronger Economy Through Food
By Ashley Robinson The Florida Certified Organic Growers and Consumers, Santa Fe College (SFC) and the Florida Farmers Market Association hosted a symposium in Gainesville highlighting food safety, entrepreneurship, business planning, marketing and more. The one-day event, “Growing a Stronger Economy Through Local Food Entrepreneurship,” took place Feb. 14 at the SFC campus and included growers and food entrepreneurs. EVENT …
Florida Strawberry Festival’s Featured Fruit Comes From UF/IFAS Research
(UF/IFAS) — When you hear the words “Plant City,” what comes to mind? Strawberries, probably. As thousands of people come to Plant City for the annual Florida Strawberry Festival this month, many will eat various types of the fruit. They may be surprised to learn that University of Florida scientists toil in nearby labs and fields to develop the best …
Managing Black Rot in Cabbage
By Ashley Robinson Florida’s warm and wet climate can create the optimal environment for a multitude of cabbage diseases. Black rot is caused by the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris pv. Campestris is a significant issue for Florida cabbage growers. Not only can this disease cause major losses, but once a field is infected, it is difficult to get rid of the disease. “Black rot …
Nematode Control in Compact Beds
By Ernie Neff Nematologist Johan Desaeger discussed nematode control trials in compact vegetable beds versus wider conventional beds at a vegetable grower meeting at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center in Immokalee on Feb. 4. More than 30 growers and others attended the meeting. Desaeger works for the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences at the …
Blueberry Advisory System: Tool for Timing Anthracnose Fruit Rot Control
By Doug Phillips The Blueberry Advisory System (BAS) is a weather-based alert system that signals Florida blueberry growers when environmental conditions are favorable for the development of anthracnose fruit rot (AFR). A new, updated version of the BAS was released on Jan. 31, available at http://agroclimate.org/tools/bas/. The data for AFR risk models is collected from the Florida Automated Weather Network, which has weather stations throughout the state. The risk for AFR …