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The April issue of Specialty Crop Grower Magazine highlights the Florida Citrus Show, which was held on March 13 in Fort Pierce, Florida. The event offered various educational talks, including research updates for citrus growers, and pepper management for vegetable growers. The Alabama Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association Conference and Trade Show was held Feb. 5-7 in Gulf Shores, Alabama. …
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson recently announced the completion of major updates to nine existing agricultural Best Management Practices (BMP) manuals, which provide specific, research-based practices to producers to improve water quality, along with the introduction of a new BMP manual for small farms and specialty livestock. These updates mark the first comprehensive revisions in nearly …
By Clint Thompson Automated harvesters are the future for Florida blueberry growers. Some would argue they are also the present, as producers must deviate from the status quo in hopes of remaining sustainable. Still, producers who have not yet embraced the technology, need to remember there are certain caveats that accompany machine harvesters. One of the main components to remember …
ATLANTA, GA – Georgia Vidalia onion enthusiasts can mark their calendars for April 15. That is when the Vidalia onion season is set to begin, as the Georgia Agriculture Commissioner and the Vidalia Onion Committee officially announced the 2025 pack date. The Vidalia onions will start shipping to grocery stores on April 15, bringing a taste of Georgia’s unique agricultural …
By Clint Thompson Fusarium wilt was observed last week in North Florida watermelon fields. Weather conditions were ripe for development, says Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Regional Specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, Florida. “Most of the fields are not far enough long to start showing it yet. However, in some of those …
By Frank Giles The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) was signed into law in 2011. It was the biggest overhaul of food-safety regulations in the United States in more than 70 years. Since FSMA was passed, there has been a steady list of regulations related to it over the years. In 2024, the latest regulation was announced with the final …
The future of Florida’s citrus industry rests on short-term survival while building a future that does not include citrus greening disease. Rick Dantzler, Citrus Research and Development Foundation chief operating officer, spoke at this year’s Georgia Citrus Association annual meeting in Tifton. He emphasized that while tools like oxytetracycline (OTC) provide growers relief, its long-term effectiveness is not guaranteed. Therefore, …
 WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville is continuing his efforts to boost Alabama’s agriculture community and make healthy foods more accessible for Alabama’s seniors by reintroducing the Farmers’ Market Expansion Act, legislation that would make pecans and other tree nuts eligible for the USDA’s Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP). “The Farmers’ Market Expansion Act would be a huge win for both our seniors and …
By Clint Thompson Parts of Northeast Alabama are receiving increasing amounts of rainfall in recent weeks. But dry conditions are needed with planting season on the horizon. “You can drive 45 minutes northwest, and they’ve got four inches of rain where we got like one inch of rain. Then you get on around Huntsville and they got about 7.5 inches …
By Clint Thompson Maybe now more than ever, Georgia pecan growers are in need of hope. University of Georgia (UGA) Cooperative Extension pecan specialist Lenny Wells believes this week’s Georgia Pecan Growers Association (GPGA) Conference and Trade Show provided growers hope amid a challenging time for the industry. “This meeting always occurs just as the buds are breaking or right …
