FFVA Issues Letter Concerning H-2A Program

Clint ThompsonFlorida

The Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association (FFVA) is calling for the repeal of the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) Methodology Rule and the H-2A Worker Protection Rule; action that would impact the current labor crisis, including in Georgia and Alabama. The FFVA submitted a letter to the White House Office of Management and Budget. The repeal is necessary since both …

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Florida’s Challenging Tomato Season Impacted By Hurricanes, Unfavorable Markets

Clint ThompsonFlorida

By Clint Thompson One Florida tomato grower’s assessment of this year’s crop focused on the plethora of challenges that state’s producers had to contend with. Whether it was from hurricanes in the fall to unfavorable markets, the challenges were on multiple fronts and impacted production for Tony DiMare and other Florida producers. He discussed this year’s crop in an interview …

Sunburn a Concern for Watermelon Crop

Clint ThompsonAs Seen On Instagram, Florida

By Clint Thompson High temperatures this week have watermelon producers concerned about potential sunburn on this year’s crop. It could impact growers in the North Florida region who have already started harvesting and those in South Georgia and South Alabama that are still a few weeks away. “In some cases, these fields that haven’t been walked over yet, as long …

Let the Harvests Begin: North Florida Watermelon Producers Starting to Harvest Crop

Clint ThompsonFlorida

By Clint Thompson North Florida watermelon harvests are expected to take off this week amid prolonged sunshine in the forecast. In fact, some have already started. “I saw some busses locally that were loaded with watermelons, so apparently somebody started over the weekend,” said Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Regional Specialized Extension agent in …

Specialty Crop Grower Magazine: Mechanical Harvesting Highlighted at Blueberry Meeting

Clint ThompsonFlorida

By Clint Thompson Challenges accompany the use of machine harvesters in Florida blueberry production. But as growers who implement the technology on their farms will attest, the long-term benefits are worth the short-term headaches. Ryan Atwood, Kyle Hill and Kyle Straughn were part of a grower panel at a Florida blueberry meeting in Citra on March 6. They agreed that …

Stone Fruit Field Day: High Density Orchards the Future of Florida’s Peach Industry

Clint ThompsonFlorida

By Clint Thompson The Stone Fruit Field Day at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Plant Science Research and Education Unit in Citra, Florida, on May 7 introduced attendees to the future of the state’s peach production. Research plots focused on peach production in high density orchards. It’s a research study that highlights more planted …

Rainy Impact: Expect Disease Pressure Increase in North Florida Watermelons

Clint ThompsonFlorida

By Clint Thompson A ‘significant increase’ in watermelon diseases is expected across the Suwanee Valley region of North Florida following rainfall last weekend. Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Regional Specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, Florida, reported in his weekly email that reports over gummy stem blight and downy mildew should spike after rainfall …

Autonomous Harvesters Key to Florida Strawberry Survival

Clint ThompsonFlorida

By Clint Thompson Autonomous harvesters are the future of Florida strawberry production. They have to be. Labor costs are too high, prohibitively so, for Florida growers to continue at the current rate. It is why industry leaders are advocating for time and resources to be devoted to the development of automatic harvesters. “To be honest, if there isn’t an autonomous …

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Florida Tomato Field Day Scheduled for May 15

Clint ThompsonFlorida

Florida tomato growers should mark their calendars for the Florida Tomato Field Day, scheduled for Thursday, May 15 at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center in Wimauma, Florida. Multiple scientists from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, including entomologist Hugh Smith, tomato breeder Jessica Chitwood-Brown, plant pathologist Gary Vallad, weed scientist Nathan Boyd, horticulturalist Shinsuke …