(UF/IFAS) — He may hold the title “emeritus,” which means “retired,” but Gene McAvoy remains active with University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension and research, helping bring farmers’ concerns back to UF/IFAS scientists. In fact, he just won the Researcher of the Year Award from the Florida Tomato Committee. For the past 22 years, McAvoy …
Hemp, Hops and More Crops Highlight Florida Ag Expo
Farmers, nursery managers and others can get a glimpse of the latest and greatest University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) research into tomatoes, strawberries, hemp, hops and ornamental plants at the annual Florida Ag Expo at the UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center. Informative sessions will fill the day, with events running from 7:30 a.m. …
Commerce Department Announces Final Dumping Margin of 21% on Mexican Tomato Imports
International Trade Commission will now Evaluate Injury to U.S. Growers Washington, D.C. (FTE-October 22, 2019) — The U.S. Department of Commerce has announced a final dumping margin of 21 percent in the resumed antidumping investigation of Mexican tomatoes. This result comes as no surprise to American tomato farmers who have seen domestic production decline significantly in the face of unfairly traded …
Growers Should Manage Tomato Bacterial Spot While Seedlings Are in Transplant Facilities
New findings from University of Florida scientists could help tomato growers nationwide in their battle against a damaging disease. With 37,000 acres, Florida’s tomato industry is a $520 million-a-year crop, so it’s critical to find sources of diseases so growers can avoid or treat them to sustain their yields. But a bacterium called Xanthomonas can cause bacterial spot in tomatoes, …
Tomato Brown Rugose Spreading Globally
Tomato brown rugose fruit virus is making headlines as it continues to spread around the globe. Below are reports posted to VSCNews in recent months as more about this pathogen has been revealed. One report is from a presentation during the recent Vegetable & Specialty Crop Expo. You can view that presentation here. Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus Spreading Globally …
FTE Requests Continued Investigation of Mexican Tomatoes
Washington, D.C. (FTE-October 14, 2019) — The Florida Tomato Exchange (FTE) has filed a request for continuation of the antidumping investigation of fresh tomatoes from Mexico. The investigation was suspended on September 19, 2019, when a new suspension agreement between the Department of Commerce and Mexican growers and exporters went into effect. U.S. trade law, however, permits domestic producers to …
FTE: USDA Should Act Quickly to Stop Tomato Disease from Spreading in U.S.
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) issued an alert yesterday on the tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV), which was recently detected in Mexican tomatoes at several grocery stores in Florida. Multiple large-scale greenhouse operations in Mexico were confirmed to have shipped infected tomatoes to Florida. ToBRFV can affect both tomatoes and peppers, causing severe yield reduction …
Virus in Mexican Tomatoes Causing Concern, USDA Action Needed
Tallahassee, FL (FDACS-Oct. 9, 2019) — The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) is issuing an alert regarding a virus found in Mexican tomatoes imported into Florida and potentially other U.S. states. ToBRFV, the tomato brown rugose fruit virus, is a highly virulent virus that can cause severe fruit loss in tomatoes and peppers. Imported tomatoes potentially carrying …
USDA Invests $11M In Research That Will Support Specialty Crop Farmers
WASHINGTON (USDA-Oct. 3, 2019) — U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Under Secretary Scott Hutchins announced that the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) has invested $11 million in research that will support specialty crop farmers. “This collaborative public-private research effort will focus on applying innovative solutions to pest management problems that often are otherwise not available to specialty …
FTE: New Suspension Agreement Is Step in Right Direction
Washington, D.C. (FTE-September 19, 2019) — The Florida Tomato Exchange (FTE) welcomes the signing by the U.S. Department of Commerce and Mexican tomato exporters of a new agreement suspending the antidumping investigation of fresh tomatoes from Mexico. The new suspension agreement includes strong monitoring, enforcement and anti-circumvention provisions, including border inspections, that should help eliminate the injury to American tomato …