By Tripti Vashisth and Bikash Adhikari The Florida peach industry has an advantage of producing fruit in the early-market window before Georgia and South Carolina fruit hits the market. CHILL HOUR ACCUMULATIONMild winters and fluctuating temperatures in fall continue to be some of the biggest challenges for peach production in Florida. Peach trees are deciduous; therefore, they need a certain …
Wildflowers Help Watermelon Pollinators
By Karla Arboleda To attract more watermelon pollinators, growers can use different types of wildflowers around their crops. That’s what Miriam Jenkins, a graduate of Clemson University’s Wildlife and Fisheries Biology program, determined from her recent study. For pollinator-dependent crops like watermelon, adding certain wildflowers to the surrounding landscape helps create a better area for pollinators to feed. Jenkins said …
Rising Temperatures Bad for Butterbeans in South Carolina
By Karla Arboleda In South Carolina, Clemson University researchers are working toward heat-tolerant butterbeans to preserve this staple crop. Tony Melton, an Extension agent at the Clemson Pee Dee Research and Extension Center, said rising temperatures have contributed to why butterbean production has been falling short in South Carolina. “When it’s hot, and as summers are getting hotter, (butterbean plants) …
Invasion Risk of Hemp Under Research
By Karla Arboleda While the road to hemp production is still under way, University of Florida (UF) researchers are analyzing the risk it poses for invasion. Researchers began digging deeper into what future hemp growers and consumers can look forward to through the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Industrial Hemp Pilot Program. Susan Canavan, a post-doctoral agronomy researcher …
Congressman Yoho Introduces Ag Guest Worker Bill
As labor continues to be a top-priority issue for producers nationwide, Congressman Ted Yoho is aiming to lessen worries of a labor shortage by introducing a new ag guest worker bill. He discussed this new bill in a recent exclusive interview with AgNet Media’s Abbey Taylor. According to Yoho, the bill shies away from immigration and focuses solely on ensuring …
‘It’s More Than Just Work’
University of Florida Extension Agent Gene McAvoy retires. If you ask any Florida grower if they know who Gene McAvoy is, they’ll probably reply with a smile and say “yes.” That is the kind of impact McAvoy has had in his 22-year run as an Extension agent in Hendry County, Florida. On July 31, McAvoy officially retired from the University …
Webinars to Focus on Food-Safety Crisis Communications
By Karla Arboleda The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA) and the United Fresh Produce Association have teamed up to host a webinar series on how producers can prepare to handle a food-safety crisis. The Crisis Communications Webinar Series hosted and led by several crisis management experts from Washington, D.C., will cover what aspects to consider when encountering events …
VSC Expo Presentations Now Available
The 2019 Vegetable & Specialty Crop (VSC) Expo saw great success as growers piled into the Lee Civic Center on Aug. 15–16 in North Fort Myers, Florida. Attendees experienced a dynamic trade show and seminar sessions tailored toward vegetable and specialty crop growers. The educational program, titled “Growing Stronger,” featured presentations on the latest research from the University of Florida …
Managing Sweet Corn Silk Flies
Silk flies are a major pest for South Florida sweet corn growers, but Julien Beuzelin, assistant professor at the University of Florida’s Everglades Research and Education Center, is working to lessen the threat these pests pose. He gave an overview of his silk fly research at the recent Vegetable & Specialty Crop (VSC) Expo. According to Beuzelin, there are three …
Florida Producers Escape Some of Dorian’s Devastation
Hurricane Dorian turned out to be a storm full of surprising twists and turns. What was once supposed to decimate Florida’s east coast as a category four storm stayed hundreds of miles off land and continues to move up the Atlantic coast. Florida lucked out with Dorian since the storm shifted gears over Labor Day weekend. As for Florida, reports …