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Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Florida”
Developing Florida’s Agricultural Leaders By Christy Chiarelli “If not us, then who?” That’s a question I ask each class of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Wedgworth Leadership Institute as we consider who is responsible for the future success of agriculture in Florida. In a state with more than 300 commodities, complex water issues, multiple …
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is issuing a second Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP) payment to eligible producers for the 2024 crop year. Of the authorized $10 billion in ECAP assistance, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) has already provided more than $8 billion in payments to eligible producers to mitigate the impacts of increased input costs and …
By Clint Thompson Strawberry planting season is under way across South Florida. Matt Parke, farm manager of Parkesdale Farms in Plant City, Florida, started planting his crop last Thursday. He outlined his list of concerns heading into this production season. “Making sure we’ve got the right (plant) stock, no diseases, make sure those H-words (hurricanes) stay away from us until …
By Frank Giles In the mid-2000s, honey bee colony collapse disorder began to make global headlines as beekeepers and scientists reported elevated bee losses. While the topic faded away from headlines somewhat in ensuing years, it has remained a problem. “It had settled down as a news story, but it remained a big issue in the honey bee world,” said …
By Clint Thompson Ag labor was the focus of discussions in early September when watermelon industry leaders met with Congressional leaders in Washington, D.C. National Watermelon Association (NWA) members, which included Jordan Carter, Greg Leger and George Szczepanski advocated for ag labor reform. Ag labor is the biggest expense for watermelon growers. But the H-2A system is complicated and, more …
By Frank Giles Many small farms must be diversified across several crops to serve their customers and to tap into different market opportunities over the course of a year. That diversity can present a challenge for growers looking to manage risks. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency (USDA-RMA) has developed an insurance product tailored to those types of …
Many specialty crops grown in the Southeast rely on plasticulture systems to optimize production. Key components of those systems include the mulch itself and other elements such as stakes utilized in crops like tomato and pepper. Paper Mulch For years, growers and agricultural researchers have studied ways to reduce waste in these systems to lessen costs and environmental impacts. Some …
By Clint Thompson The House Committee on Agriculture’s special hearing on the State of the Specialty Crop Industry last week allowed various industry leaders to tout its importance and how legislative help is essential to the industry’s future. One of those who testified was Dana Brennan, vice president, corporate affairs with Grimmway Farms. She highlighted how legislative leaders can help …
By Frank Giles, Tacy Callies and Clint Thompson This year’s Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo in Tampa provided an extensive seminar program and various opportunities for growers to network with their peers. Educational programming focused on industry issues, citrus production, specialty crops and alternative crops. General Session The event’s general session touched on various topics like the farm economy, labor …
By Clint Thompson Whitefly management in the Southeast is not predicated on thresholds; how many whiteflies can a vegetable plant tolerate before insecticides need to be applied. Growers know they will encounter the insect pest, so thresholds won’t matter. Management involves more preventative measures, says Stormy Sparks, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension vegetable entomologist. Sparks was part of a panel …
