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Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Specialty Crop Grower Magazine”
By Cathy Burns Last year, what the specialty crop industry received in terms of legislative and regulatory policies from federal lawmakers was a mixed bag. While we did see a few positives in terms of investment opportunities in innovation, technology and sustainability, we also saw negatives such as proposed cuts to the fruit and vegetable benefit in the Women, Infants …
By Ramdas Kanissery Battling weeds is a real struggle in vegetable plasticulture production — not just in the plastic mulched planting beds but also in the row-middle spaces between beds (see Figure 1). Weeds in the row middles can compete with the main crop while playing host to insect pests, nematodes and pathogens. Tackling row-middle weeds comes with its own …
By Frank Giles There have been two major forces driving innovation in specialty crop agriculture. No. 1 is the challenge growers have in sourcing a dependable workforce to grow and harvest crops. No. 2 is the push to become more efficient and profitable by reducing production costs. Robotics and automation are developing rapidly with promises to help growers address those …
The March issue of Specialty Crop Grower Magazine puts weed management in the spotlight. Amid concerns over a lack of a dependable workforce and need to reduce input costs, growers need to be more efficient in their production strategies like weed control. Nathan Boyd, weed scientist with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), along with …
By Frank Giles Specialty crop farms across the Southeast have faced myriad challenges over the past few decades, but many farms have embraced new market opportunities and enjoyed growth. One of those operations is L&M. The farm was founded in 1964 by Joe McGee in Johnston County, North Carolina. In the years since its founding, L&M has grown into a …
By Mike Joyner In agriculture, there is never a shortage of challenges, and 2024 will present its share. At the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association (FFVA), we work every day to effectively advocate for our members to assure their voice is heard and that outcomes reflect their input. Here is a look at how that work will come to life …
By Frank Giles The Florida Ag Expo held at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center has become a much-anticipated event every November. The Expo draws specialty crop growers from across Florida and beyond. The latest Expo featured a panel discussion of alumni from the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association’s Emerging Leader Development Program (ELDP). The program provides a year-long …
By Lauri M. Baker As temperatures cool over the winter, you may be ready to breathe a sigh of relief as you enjoy a break from the summer’s constant annoyance of pests like mosquitos and ticks. But think again. An age-old belief is that ticks die off in winter months. Unfortunately, this is a myth. While your chance of tick …
By Frank Giles For brassica growers, the diamondback moth reigns as the biggest pest problem they must fight. This is particularly true where the crops are produced year-round, like in Georgia. The pest is estimated to cause as much as $5 billion in crop losses every year worldwide. In the Southeast, cabbage, broccoli and collards are the preferred hosts of …
By Frank Giles Brassica crops have become an important crop in the Southeast. When it comes to disease management, black rot (Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris) is one of the biggest problems that growers fight. Black rot can affect all major brassica crops, including cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, collards and kale. The disease causes the most damage in the leafy …
