By Clint Thompson Imports are no longer a Southeast issue. They are quickly becoming a national issue. Unfortunately, the rising tide of imports of fresh fruits and vegetables impacting other parts of the country may be a necessary step in resolving this growing problem. “Certainly, Georgia has been in this fight with us for a long time and have done …
Powdery Mildew a Growing Concern for South Florida Watermelon Producers
By Clint Thompson What was once a disease that feasted mostly on squash in South Florida has quickly taken more of a liking to one of its fellow cucurbits – watermelons. Pamela Roberts, vegetable plant pathologist at the UF/IFAS Southwest Florida Research and Education Center, discussed at last week’s Citrus, Vegetable and Specialty Crop Expo how powdery mildew disease has …
UF Specialist: Hemp Research to Take Time
By Clint Thompson Florida hemp research is still in its infancy, but progress has been made, insists Jerry Fankhauser, the assistant director of the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station who oversees the University of Florida hemp research program. “There’s a lot to learn, but we’ve come a long way in just two years,” Fankhauser said. “I think where we’re at right …
USDA AMS Revises Standards for Watermelon
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is revising the U.S. Standards for Watermelon to provide a common language for trade. AMS is establishing a total tolerance for anthracnose and decay in the U.S. No. 1 and U.S. No. 2 grades; adjusting the range of average weight from 20-to-42 to 10-to-34 pounds to align with current marketing …
Optimistic Outlook: Dantzler Still Confident Regarding HLB Disease
Citrus Industry Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) Chief Operating Officer Rick Dantzler told a Citrus Expo crowd why he remains optimistic regarding HLB, amid negative industry trends. Dantzler declared, “I am more optimistic than ever. It is taking longer than I thought, but we are going to eradicate HLB or make it functionally irrelevant. That’s why I took this …
Citrus Imports: USDA Revises Conditions of Fruit Coming from Australia
Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) recently expanded the production areas in Australia authorized to import fresh citrus fruit into the United States and revised the conditions under which citrus from Australia may be imported. APHIS authorized three additional areas of Australia to export citrus to the continental United States: the …
Registration Continues for Upcoming Ag Labor Relations Forum
By Clint Thompson Two issues remain on the minds of Florida’s vegetable and specialty crop producers, says Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association (FFVA) President Mike Joyner. “I think depending on who you ask, you’re either going to get the answer, trade and labor, or you’re going to get the answer, labor and trade,” Joyner said. Labor will be front and …
USDA Updates Pandemic Assistance for Specialty Crop Growers
CFAP 2 Deadline is Oct. 12 WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is updating the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2 (CFAP 2) for producers of specialty crops and other sales-based commodities. CFAP 2, which assists producers who faced market disruptions in 2020 due to COVID-19, is part of USDA’s broader Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative. Additionally, USDA’s Farm …
High Insect Pressure Reported in Alabama
By Clint Thompson Insect pests continue to increase in numbers across Alabama. According to the Alabama Insect Pest Monitoring Report, as of Saturday, Aug. 21, moth numbers collected at 19 locations across the state continue to be high for fall armyworm, southern armyworm, tobacco budworm and squash vine borer. There were 1,230 fall armyworm moths, compared to 252 this time …
Stink Bug and Weevil Management in Pecans
Pecan producers need to start managing stink bugs and weevils in this year’s crop. This is especially important for the crop as its shell hardens. Prior to shell hardening, the pests will knock nuts off the trees or lay eggs. But after shell hardening, these pests will damage the nuts that growers won’t see until harvest, according to University of …