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Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Specialty Crop Grower Magazine”
By Rick Scott Florida growers play a critical role in providing for and contributing to the state, its families and businesses. They are job creators, innovators and hardworking Floridians that drive our state forward generation after generation and show the rewards of hard work in achieving the American dream. That’s why I am so proud to fight every day in …
By Maegan Beatty In the last 25 years, the number of whitefly-transmitted viruses affecting vegetable production in Florida and the southeastern United States has steadily increased. The rise in average winter temperatures, the development of widespread resistance to broad-spectrum insecticides and the absence of new varieties with resistance to the multitude of new viruses have collectively contributed to this increase. …
By Clint Thompson Without an official heat standard from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), fruit and vegetable producers must consider OSHA recommendations for a heat plan as requirements. Chris Butts, executive vice president of the Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA), conveyed that belief following a webinar the association presented in March. The webinar shined a light …
By Clint Thompson Sweet Corn Picks Up After Slow Start Florida sweet corn volume was expected to ramp up during the first couple of weeks in April. The increased production was needed for growers who experienced a sluggish start to the season, mostly due to excessive rainfall. The record rainfall kept growers from being able to access the field for …
By Frank Giles There’s never a shortage of news when it comes to the H-2A visa program, which Southeastern specialty crop growers have come to rely on for labor. It is the go-to program for farmers who need larger numbers of employees to grow and harvest crops. But in an environment where inflation has pushed up the prices of just …
By Frank Giles Last year, AgNet Media took over hosting responsibilities for the Florida Citrus Show in Fort Pierce. With that change, the event moved to the neighboring facilities of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Indian River Research and Education Center and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service U.S. Horticultural Research …
The cover story of the May issue of Specialty Crop Grower Magazine focuses on a tiny but destructive pest of blueberries and strawberries in Florida. Chilli thrips have long been problematic for Florida growers and are fast becoming a concern for producers in neighboring states, like Georgia. Chemical applications are the main way farmers control the pest, and they are …
By Rob Gilbert The Science of Sustainability The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) provides the science of sustainability. For specialty crop growers, sustainability must mean profitability. Our innovations have to make economic sense. My predecessors as University of Florida senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources have held this view for generations. I’m honored …
By Maegan Beatty The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has categorized Thrips parvispinus as a quarantine-significant pest. Thrips are small insects belonging to the order Thysanoptera. They are typically about 1 to 4 millimeters long and can vary in color from yellow to brown or black. Thrips are located across the world and are …
By Maegan Beatty Competition for farmland has historically been a challenge. In places like Florida, this is especially acute as an influx of new residents puts pressure on available land for development. And in the push for green energy, green spaces are filling with huge solar farms. The University of Florida (UF) Center for Landscape Conservation Planning provides the Agriculture …
