By Gopinath (Gopi) Munisamy for UGA CAES News While all industries have been seriously affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, food and agriculture have been among the hardest hit segments of the U.S. economy. The primary reason lies in the composition of household food expenditures. The impacts of the pandemic appear to vary by commodity based on two critical issues: perishability and …
UF/IFAS Extension Veteran: Farmers Give to Food Banks in Time of COVID-19
By: Brad Buck, bradbuck@ufl.edu With the COVID-19 shutdowns increasing people’s need for food, some consumers rely on nonprofits for a bite to eat. To help, farmers in Florida and elsewhere are donating excess produce to food banks, said a UF/IFAS expert. In fact, some food banks are helping farmers by offsetting some of their costs, thus incentivizing growers to harvest …
Whiteflies Already a Problem for Florida Farmers
By Clint Thompson Between the coronavirus pandemic and decreased demand for their product, Florida’s vegetable farmers have had their share of challenges this past month. Add whiteflies to the list. According to the South Florida Vegetable Pest and Disease Hotline, the Immokalee, Florida area in South Florida has seen hundreds of acres abandoned. This is due to irregular ripening and …
Florida Farmer: It’s Demand and it’s Competition With Foreign Products That’s Beating us up
By Clint Thompson Count Daren Hanshaw in as one of the numerous Florida fruit and vegetable growers impacted by the coronavirus pandemic and the continued imports of produce from other countries. Hanshaw who owns Hanshaw Farms in Immokalee, Florida, grows cucumbers, tomatoes, watermelons and cantaloupes on about 500 acres. He’s experienced the negative impact of the past month with all …
Weather Impacting Alabama Vegetable Production
By Clint Thompson Farmers in South Alabama are in desperate need of rain. Producers in North Alabama need field conditions to dry so they can plant their crop. It’s been an unpredictable winter and early part of spring for the state’s vegetable growers. “It’s been wet in the central and northern part of the state and it has been impressively …
UF/IFAS Vegetable Growers Meeting Rescheduled to Online Format
By Clint Thompson The University of Florida (UF)/IFAS vegetable growers meeting scheduled for April 23 will meet via online beginning at 10 a.m. Those interested in learning about weed management can join via https://ufl.zoom.us/j/831234086. The Meeting ID is 831 234 086. Those interested can also join via mobile: +16465588656, 831234086# US (New York);+16699006833, 831234086# US (San Jose). Due to the …
Farmers Markets Still Option for Produce Growers
By Clint Thompson Produce farmers in the Southeast are struggling with markets that have disappeared because of the loss of restaurants and closure of schools amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. But Max Runge, Extension specialist in agricultural economics and rural sociology at Auburn University, believes farmers markets remain a viable option for fruit and vegetable growers, especially those who operate …
UF/IFAS Participates in Farm Share Event
By Clint Thompson The University of Florida/IFAS participated in a Farm Share event on Wednesday that led to more than 40,000 pounds of food being distributed to 802 households in Alachua County, Florida. UF Associate Vice President for Agriculture and Natural Resources Jeanna Mastrodicasa said UF deployed 19 vehicles, including Elaine Turner, dean of the UF/IFAS College of Agricultural and …
U.S. Sugar Makes Generous Donation
Contact: Judy Clayton Sanchez The People of U.S. Sugar Provide More than 120,000 Servings of Fresh, Locally-Grown Green Beans to Employees, South Florida Churches, Healthcare Providers and Food Banks Clewiston, FL – As part of its ongoing local response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Sugar announced on Wednesday it is contributing nearly 1,000 crates, or the equivalent of 120,000 …
List of Farms Selling Produce Directly to Consumers Found on FFVA Website
The Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association (FFVA) is trying to help consumers who are still interested in buying fresh, nutritious produce. The FFVA has compiled information about farms in Florida that have opened to selling their produce directly to consumers. A list of farms can be found on the FFVA website. Support for farmers and farming operations is essential during …