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Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Florida”
By Frank Giles In mid-May, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Gulf Coast Research and Education Center hosted a tomato field day to showcase research being conducted at the facility. The event was well attended, filling up several wagon loads of people who made their way through six field stops that focused on nematodes, tomato …
By Clint Thompson Florida tomato growers can mark their calendars for Thursday, Sept. 4. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and the Florida Tomato Committee will present this year’s Florida Tomato Conference at the Clewiston John Boy Auditorium in Clewiston, Florida. The program will start at 9 a.m. and conclude at 5 p.m. The Florida Tomato …
By Clint Thompson This year’s watermelon harvests have concluded in North Florida. Yields and quality were very good, despite sandstorms, downy mildew and a challenging market after Memorial Day. Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Regional Specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, Florida, compiled a recap from Extension agents in the Suwanee Valley. Sponsored …
The July issue of Specialty Crop Grower Magazine puts Paul Orsenigo, founder of Grower’s Management Inc. in the spotlight. Unlike multigenerational farm families, Orsenigo is a first-generation farmer in the Everglades Agricultural Area in Florida. He produces a variety of leafy greens, sweet corn, sugar cane and rice. He discusses his humble beginnings, and they evolved into a 40-year journey …
If you eat fruits or vegetables, how often do you think about their history? Former University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) post-doctoral researcher Zhen Fan did, as he traced the strawberry back over centuries. In a new paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Fan, now a faculty member at Zhejiang Agriculture and …
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division announced it is suspending enforcement of the 2024 farmworker rule. The decision provides much-needed clarity for specialty crop producers navigating the H-2A program. As multiple federal court injunctions have created significant legal uncertainty, inconsistency, and operational challenges for farmers lawfully employing H-2A workers, this field assistance bulletin clarifies that …
By Clint Thompson Timing is critical for water needs for next season’s citrus crops across the Southeast. Much of the groves in the cold-hardy citrus region of North Florida, South Georgia and South Alabama are receiving their share of rainfall. But others are not. It is why producers need to remain diligent in applying water to their trees, says Mary …
Drought continues to be mostly a non-issue across the Southeast. This summer has provided adequate moisture across southern states like Alabama and Georgia. Even in Florida where dry conditions are prevalent, they have improved in recent weeks. This is according to the June 19 release of the U.S. Drought Monitor. Florida’s driest conditions are concentrated to the southern area of …
Florida’s watermelon market prices endured a drastic drop this year, and so did growers’ profits. According to a blog post from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), pricing this year tracked below prices recorded in 2023 and 2024. The average reported price on June 13, 2025 was $115.50 per bin. That compares to $231 per …
By Clint Thompson A significant uptick in North Florida watermelon acreage over the last two years has increased production substantially, which has led market prices to drop; as was the case this year. Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Regional Specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, Florida, highlighted the situation facing his region’s growers. …
