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Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Florida”
By Clint Thompson The March 5 release of the U.S. Drought Monitor shows extreme conditions covering almost all of Florida, all of South Georgia and parts of Alabama. Florida Extreme conditions in North Florida start in the Panhandle in Walton and Holmes counties, stretch to the east coast in Nassau, Duval, Saint Johns and Flagler counties; and as far south …
By Clint Thompson A domestic workforce for agricultural work in the Southeast is almost non-existent. Bringing in foreign workers to work on the farm is a necessity but also a costly one. Those are two facts that Ray Starling, general counsel for North Carolina Chamber of Commerce, emphasized at the Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference in Savannah, Georgia, in …
By Clint Thompson One of the most devastating watermelon diseases in the Southeast can be overcome. But it comes with a high cost for growers. Fusarium wilt is an annual problem that North Florida and South Georgia watermelon producers must contend with every year. Some growers are resorting to grafted plants in hopes of overcoming the disease. Grafting is a …
By Clint Thompson and Dale Sandlin Florida specialty crop growers suffered immensely with the Jan. 31/Feb. 1 freeze event. Time is ticking for those producers to take advantage of disaster programs offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA). Richard Fordyce, USDA Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation, highlighted one specific program that will benefit Florida …
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson issued the following statement after U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced a U.S. Department of Agriculture disaster declaration that supports Florida’s agricultural producers impacted by the recent historic freeze events: “I appreciate President Donald Trump and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins for always putting America’s farmers first, and for …
By Clint Thompson The House Committee on Agriculture announced this week the passage of the H.R. 7567, Farm, Food and National Security Act of 2026 out of committee. House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Glenn Thompson (PA-15) addressed the bill’s importance following its passage: “Today, my colleagues at the House Committee on Agriculture stepped up for farm country and passed the …
By Clint Thompson Extreme drought conditions are still prevalent throughout North Florida, expanding from the Panhandle all the way as far south as Citrus and Sumter counties, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. They are challenging conditions for the watermelon producers in the Suwanee Valley who are beginning to plant this year’s crop. Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of …
By Clint Thompson The Farm, Food and National Security Act of 2026 is hopefully the first step in a new farm bill being in place for the country’s farmers sooner rather than later. The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance (SCFBA) applauded its release and how it addresses multiple needs pertinent to the fruit and vegetable industries. Kam Quarles, CEO of …
In this month’s sneak peek, the March issue of Specialty Crop Grower Magazine highlights the recent deep freeze event in January and February that devastated various fruits and vegetables in Florida. Freezing temperatures caused significant damage to specialty crops across the state. Those crops included citrus, blueberries, strawberries, tomatoes, green beans and watermelons. Florida Ag Commissioner Wilton Simpson announced preliminary …
By Frank Giles When President Trump appointed Robert Kennedy Jr. to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), it was a clear signal that it would not be business as usual at the agency charged with “improving the health, safety and well-being of America.” With a budget of about $2 trillion, HHS has significant sway in American …
