VSCNews is excited to return to the Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference (SERFVC) on Jan. 10–13 at the Savannah International Trade & Convention Center in Savannah, Georgia. Each year, SERFVC provides a great opportunity to mingle with fellow industry members and kick off the new year. SERFVC, sponsored by the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA) and the …
GFVGA Welcomes New President
The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA) will welcome a new president in January. Aries Haygood — current vice president of the GFVGA, vice chair of the Vidalia Onion Committee and grower at M&T Farms — will succeed Mike Bruorton as GFVGA president. Haygood says he is excited to take his seat as GFVGA president at the start of …
Crop Insurance Survey
The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA) needs your help! It sent out this recent release calling on growers: At the recent Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association Board of Directors meeting, the USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) discussed interest in providing a crop insurance program for several crops, including tomato, sweet corn, bell pepper, specialty pepper, cucumber, squash …
UF Program Probing Hemp Production
Industrial hemp could be Florida’s next big specialty crop. The University of Florida (UF) Industrial Hemp Pilot Program is tasked with figuring out how to successfully grow the crop in the Sunshine State. During the 2018 Citrus Expo, Zachary Brym outlined the program objectives and how growers can get involved. Brym is an associate professor at the UF Tropical Research …
Florida Hop Production Appears Promising
Findings from the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center hop trials are helping make strides in this new frontier. By Zhanao Deng, Shinsuke Agehara, Gary Vallad, Hugh Smith and Johan Desaeger Hops are an essential ingredient of beer. Breweries use different varieties and amounts of hops during the brewing process to attain the desirable levels of bitterness and flavors associated …
FBGA President Reflects on 2018
For the Florida Blueberry Growers Association (FBGA), 2018 was a big year legislatively. Brittany Lee, FBGA president, says the association worked hard this year to give a voice to the Florida blueberry industry. One of the association’s main focuses this year dealt with the Wildfires and Hurricanes Indemnity Program. Lee says she and her colleagues worked closely with their local …
Watermelon Marketing Trends
By Breanna Kendrick Melon 1 — a grower, packer and shipper of watermelons — has been shipping Florida watermelons all along the east coast to its customers for over 25 years. Rachel Syngo, director of new business development for Melon1, recently attended the New York Produce Show in New York City. “We came to the show because … this is …
PMA Aims to ‘Grow A Healthier World’
The Produce Marketing Association (PMA) has a busy year ahead. Cathy Burns, PMA CEO, says, “In short, we’re going to grow a healthier world.” Food safety will be a big focus for PMA in 2019 and beyond. “A real barrier to growing a healthier world is if people are getting sick eating our product,” she says. During the PMA Fresh …
Farm Bill Helps Pave Way for Hemp Production
The farm bill has passed through the House and the Senate and received President Trump’s signature on Dec. 20. While some agricultural industries were let down, other industries may have an opportunity to thrive. According to Jerry Fankhauser, assistant director of the University of Florida’s Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, the farm bill includes language that will take industrial hemp off …
Sneak Peek: January VSCNews Magazine
Biotechnology may change the agricultural world as we know it today. In fact, it has already changed the industry in many ways. The January issue of VSCNews magazine will explore biotechnology and the opportunities it holds. Kevin Folta, University of Florida (UF) professor, discusses what gene editing really means and the need for public support. He gives an overview of …