FFVA Issues Statement Following Bi-Partisan Letter Sent to USTR

Web AdminFlorida, Fruit, Top Posts, Vegetables

On Wednesday, a bipartisan letter was sent to U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai calling for the United States Trade Representative to work with members of Congress to implement immediate trade relief measures for U.S. producers of seasonal and perishable fruits and vegetables. The letter was led by U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio and Representatives Mario Diaz-Balart, Darren Soto, Austin Scott, Bill …

The Future of Precision Weed Control

Web AdminTechnology, Top Posts, Vegetables, VSCNews magazine

By Yiannis Ampatzidis Farmers use mainly agrochemicals for weed control and follow conventional crop protection strategies that use a vast amount of chemicals, despite some negative impacts on the environment and human health. More than 90% of the acreage of crops in the United States is sprayed with herbicides. It is estimated that around $31.5 billion was spent on herbicides …

Chilly Impact: Cold Temperatures Impact Alabama Vegetable Crops

Web AdminAlabama, Top Posts, Vegetables, Weather

By Clint Thompson Last week’s brief cold snap is likely to have a lasting impact on Alabama’s vegetable crops. Joe Kemble, Alabama Extension vegetable specialist, expected farmers to start seeing cold damage this week, especially on warm-season vegetables like tomatoes and peppers. “I think there was enough hours below optimal temperatures for a lot of crops that you’re going to …

Shade Nets Show Benefits for Peppers

Web AdminOrganic, Vegetables, VSCNews magazine

By Juan Carlos Díaz Pérez Vegetable growers know well about the importance of light to plants. Light is necessary for the process of photosynthesis through which plants convert light energy into chemical energy (sugars) needed for plant growth and development. LIGHT AND HEAT Light is electromagnetic radiation that comes from the sun. The portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that can …

Beware: Fungal Foliar Diseases Alive and Well in Alabama

Web AdminAlabama, Disease, Strawberry, Top Posts, Vegetables

Weather conditions are conducive to certain plant diseases being a problem this year. Joe Kemble, Alabama Extension vegetable specialist, cautions Alabama producers about certain fungal diseases that could become problematic. “One of the things that’s important this time of the year is there are a lot of foliar fungal diseases. They cause problems in strawberries, but they also cause problems …

USDA Vegetable Outlook

Web AdminTop Posts, Vegetables

Fresh vegetable production value in the United States was down 11% in 2020, according to the USDA Vegetable and Pulses April Outlook. Spinach experienced the biggest decline, dropping 28.7% a year after increasing 49.8%. Cauliflower dropped 25%. A year after increasing 22.8%, cabbage production dropped 18.2%. Bell peppers dropped 11.2%, while Carrots declined 7.1%. Dry onions also dropped 14.5%. Sweet …

Biological Control of Sweetpotato Whiteflies With Predatory Mites in Squash

Web AdminCucurbits, Pests, Vegetables, VSCNews magazine

By Lorena Lopez and Oscar E. Liburd The sweetpotato whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) is one of the most problematic pests in vegetable production in the world and it is a key pest in squash. Most significant damage caused by this pest is due to the transmission of viral diseases and its ability to rapidly develop resistance to pesticides. Sweetpotato whiteflies can …

New Normal? Vegetable, Fruit Sales Up Amid Pandemic

Web AdminAlabama, Coronavirus, Fruit, Top Posts, Vegetables

Increased food consumption at home amid COVID-19 means potentially more sales of fresh fruits and vegetables for Alabama producers, says Wendiam Sawadgo, Alabama Extension economist. “There was about a 50% increase in consumption at home in (last) March compared to before the pandemic. That sort of tapered off a little bit. But it’s still much higher than it was before,” …