In this month’s sneak peek, the June issue of Specialty Crop Grower Magazine highlights how the Middle East conflict has impacted energy and fertilizer markets. The center of the market disruption is located on the Strait of Hormuz, a main conduit for oil and nutrient movement. Danny Munch, an economist with the American Farm Bureau Federation, talked about the conflict and the lingering impact it has had on market prices impacting specialty crop growers.
In other news, cover crops are gaining interest in the specialty crop sector. One survey of horticultural crop producers found that they believed cover crops to be neutral or positive to their bottom line. One benefit is the reduction of root-knot nematode, explains Johan Desaeger, assistant professor of entomology and nematology at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Gulf Coast Research and Education Center. Learn more about what the top cover crop choices are and their other benefits.
Also, Irrigation Association President Natasha Rankin discussed how the association works to improve agricultural irrigation in an interview.
Don’t forget to mark your calendars for this year’s Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo, slated for Aug. 12-13 at the Luminary Hotel and Caloosa Sound Convention Center in Fort Myers, Florida.
Video Component
Don’t miss this month’s bonus video coverage in the interactive digital edition of Specialty Crop Grower magazine.
VIDEO: See how the Environmental Quality Incentives Program can help growers upgrade their irrigation systems. (page 9)
VIDEO: Danny Munch highlights the fertilizer situation. (page 11)
VIDEO: Sarah Strauss discusses cover crops. (page 13)
VIDEO: Producer Ned Hancock talks about the future of Florida citrus. (page 22)
VIDEO: Karel Coosemans elaborates on the Citrus Innovation Center. (page 25)