You’ve Got Mail: FFVA Chair Provides Comments to Governor on Farmworker Housing Situation

Clint ThompsonFlorida

David Hill, chairman of the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association (FFVA), sent a letter to Governor Ron DeSantis in mid-June in support of Senate Bill 1082. Senate Bill 1082 According to the Florida Senate: “Senate Bill 1082 preempts a local government from inhibiting the construction or installation of housing for legally verified agricultural workers on land classified as agricultural if …

Free Business Planning, Tax Management Workshop for Farmers in Miami-Dade

Clint ThompsonFlorida

Successfully operating any agribusiness such as a farm, ranch or nursery requires strong financial skills to ensure profitability and sustainability. Too often, agribusiness owners don’t survive due to key knowledge gaps in business planning and tax management.  “A business plan is critical to the financial sustainability of any agriculture business,” said Fredy Ballen, a University of Florida Institute of Food …

Florida Tomato Associations Seek New Leader

Clint ThompsonFlorida, Tomatoes

Maitland, FL – The trade associations that support Florida’s tomato growers, packers, and shippers are seeking a new leader.  These associations include the Florida Tomato Exchange, the Florida Tomato Growers Exchange and the Florida Tomato Committee.  Michael Schadler, who has served as the executive vice president of the Florida Tomato Exchange (FTE) since 2017, has accepted a job with the …

Here’s What Happened: North Florida Watermelon Season Recap

Clint ThompsonFlorida, Watermelon

By Clint Thompson Georgia’s delayed start to the watermelon season was North Florida’s gain for a second year in a row. Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Regional Specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, Florida, confirmed last week that some of his growers were still picking over fields, mostly because Georgia volume had not …

Agricultural Safety Center, UF/IFAS Release Heat-Related Illness Toolkit

Clint ThompsonFlorida

The Southeastern Coastal Center for Agricultural Health and Safety (SCCAHS) and the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) have partnered to create an online toolkit to help protect agricultural workers from the summer heat. Last year’s sweltering summer temperatures convinced SCCAHS leadership that additional promotion about heat-related illness education could save lives. Even before the summer …

Call for Entries: Watermelon Retail Merchandising Contest Open

Clint ThompsonFlorida, Watermelon

WINTER SPRINGS, FL – The National Watermelon Promotion Board (NWPB) is excited to announce the call for entries for their 16th annual Watermelon Retail Merchandising Contest. Retail chains, independent retailers, and commissaries are invited to compete for more than $10,000 in cash and prizes. The grand prize winner will receive $5,000, with $2,500 awarded to the second place, $1,000 for …

From Hops to Pellets: UF/IFAS Scientists Meeting Craft Brewer Demand

Clint ThompsonFlorida

Many craft brewers prefer to make their product using hops pellets because of several advantages they provide over whole cone hops. To address a request by Tampa Bay-area craft brewers, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers are converting the crop they grow into pellets. “Brewers use several forms of hops to make beer, including pellets, …

Fresh From Florida: FDACS Program Celebrates More Than One Million Followers

Clint ThompsonFlorida

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ (FDACS) Fresh From Florida program is celebrating the more than 1 million consumers who follow Fresh From Florida on social media, signed up for the Fresh From Florida newsletter and joined the Fresh From Florida Club. Since January 2023, Fresh From Florida’s online followers have grown from a little more …

Gummy Stem Blight Worst in Recent Memory

Clint ThompsonFlorida, Watermelon

By Clint Thompson North Florida watermelon growers have been able to manage most disease pressure this year; except for gummy stem blight. It has been the one disease that has been extremely problematic for producers, says Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Regional Specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, Florida. “I’d say it’s more …

Chilli Thrips Control: UF/IFAS Study Shows How Strawberry Growers Can Use Less Pesticides

Clint ThompsonFlorida, Strawberry

Florida strawberry growers can use less pesticide and save money as they attempt to control chilli thrips, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) research shows. An invasive pest in the southeastern United States, chilli thrips was introduced to the United States from Southeast Asia. The first report in Florida came in 1991 in Okeechobee County and …