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By Clint Thompson India is a viable export market for Southeast pecans. Growers who have visited the country attest to its viability as a consumer of pecans. This includes Georgia producer Justin Jones. “The possibility is there. They are the biggest consumers of nuts in the whole world. If every Indian ate two grams of nuts a day, every nut …
Florida specialty crop growers and industry leaders should mark their calendars for the Florida Agricultural Policy Outlook Conference, scheduled for May 8. The day-long event, hosted by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Food and Resource Economics Department, will address issues, research and policies that shape the state’s agriculture industry. The event will be held …
By Clint Thompson A nightmarish start to the strawberry season late last summer has turned into an optimistic outlook for Alabama grower Jeremy Calvert. Like other producers across the Southeast, Calvert was impacted by Neopestalotiopsis disease when he received transplants prior to the season. However, Calvert is seeing great potential in this year’s crop. “A great many growers in the …
North Florida watermelon growers should be wary of a few initial reports of squash bugs impacting fields in the Suwanee Valley. Most are arriving around the perimeter of the fields, noted Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Regional Specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, Florida, in his weekly email. Most bugs were still individual …
Florida Citrus Mutual Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer Matt Joyner’s optimism about the industry’s future comes on the heels of a major citrus grower stepping out of production. Alico’s departure from the citrus industry earlier this year was a body blow to the industry, according to one industry expert. Joyner feels similarly but also believes there are extenuating …
By Clint Thompson Georgia watermelon acreage is expected to increase this year. A key reason why is the current pricing struggles besetting the state’s row crop producers. Jordan Carter, director of sales and marketing with Leger & Son, Inc. in Cordele, Georgia, provided an outlook for what the industry looks like this year, with plantings expected to conclude this week …
By Clint Thompson The earlier the better when detecting and managing Thrips (T.) parvispinus in vegetable crops. The longer South Florida growers wait to scout, the more susceptible their crops become, especially peppers. Anna Meszaros, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension commercial horticulture agent in West Palm Beach, Florida, updated pepper growers about the insect …
Behind every fresh head of lettuce and pepper on your plate, there’s a team of scientists working tirelessly to protect crops and farmers’ harvests from pests and plant diseases. De-Fen Mou, an assistant professor of entomology at the UF/IFAS Everglades Research and Education Center (EREC) in Belle Glade, is one of the key researchers on the front lines, safeguarding Florida’s …
By Frank Giles Southeastern tomato growers largely rely on plasticulture to produce commercial-scale crops. Production practices are well established, but some growers are considering new bed designs based upon recent research. Sanjay Shukla, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) professor of water quality, initiated research several years ago to examine potential benefits of a new bed …
By Clint Thompson Tariffs imposed by the Trump Administration last week did not include products covered under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). That’s a missed opportunity to help Southeast specialty crop growers impacted by seasonal imports, says Chris Butts, executive director of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA). “Our greater concern is just disappointment that we felt like the …
