Tallahassee, Fla. — Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried wrote a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack on Thursday. She addressed the continued unfair foreign trade practices being employed by Mexico and other countries that are causing severe harm to the domestic seasonal produce industry. “Florida farmers and American agriculture is the best in the world, and …
Biological Control: UF Research Testing New Measures for Mites in Blueberries
By Clint Thompson Biological applications may be Florida blueberry growers’ best management strategy for long-lasting control of mites. Oscar Liburd, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Professor and Fruit and Vegetable IPM Program leader, said resistance concerns are forcing researchers to consider alternative control measures. “One of the problems is that if we continue using the …
Citrus Q&A: UF/IFAS CREC to Host Open House, Field Day
LAKE ALFRED, Fla. — University of Florida (UF) Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) researchers want to answer questions citrus growers may have to produce a crop successfully and safely amid citrus greening disease. Citrus farmers can get those questions answered during a UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) open house and field day on Tuesday, Nov 16. …
Commissioner Fried, FDACS Announce New Farmer Mental Health Initiative
Tallahassee, Fla. – Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried is announcing that the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) has been awarded a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to carry out a new Farm Stress Awareness and Reduction Initiative in Florida. With this grant award, FDACS will launch an outreach campaign to help raise awareness about …
U.S. Drought Monitor: Dry Conditions Persist Across Southeast
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, abnormally dry conditions continue to persist in certain areas across the Southeast. In Florida, abnormally dry conditions are detected in the northeast part of the state, along the Atlantic coast. These range from Nassau County to Volusia County. Dry conditions are also being experienced in Southeast Georgia, along the Atlantic coast in Richmond County, …
Sweet Corn Insect Management: Scouting Important Against Fall Armyworms
By Clint Thompson Scouting remains the main key for Florida sweet corn farmers in fending off fall armyworms this season. Julien Beuzelin, a University of Florida (UF) Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) entomologist, said appropriate management of fall armyworms starts with making sure you have a problem to begin with. “For armyworms, scouting is very important because you …
Federal Help Needed with Truck Driver Shortage Crisis
By Clint Thompson The current truck driver shortage that is plaguing the U.S. may not be rectified without help at the federal level. That’s the feeling shared by Tra Williams, owner and president of Fleetforce Truck Driving School in Winter Haven, Florida. With as many truck drivers that retire every week, there’s considerably less that are applying to take their …
Intelligent Disease Identification
By Yiannis Ampatzidis and Pamela Roberts Accurate and rapid disease identification at the beginning of an outbreak is essential for implementing effective management tactics. Diagnosis based on visual symptoms is often compromised by the inability to differentiate among similar symptoms caused by plant pathogens and abiotic disorders. Recent technological advances in sensors, machine vision, mechatronics, big data analytics and artificial …
Florida Blueberries: Embrace the Future Now to Remain Sustainable
By Clint Thompson The future of blueberry production is now for Florida farmers hoping to remain sustainable. At least that’s how one blueberry producer views the industry as it’s currently constructed. Like other Florida blueberry growers, Ryan Atwood is not immune to the rising input costs being experienced across agriculture. Fertilizer, fuel, labor, land; all are expenses that are on …
FFVA President: H-2A Program is Old, Outdated, Broken
By Clint Thompson The H-2A temporary agricultural workers program is a “old and outdated system.” Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association (FFVA) President Mike Joyner argues it is a “broken” system in need of immediate repair. “I think first and foremost we struggle to get any domestic workers to work on the farm. We rely so heavily on the H-2A program. …