By Clint Thompson Domestic labor is all but a non-existent option for specialty crop producers. Industry leaders want congressional leaders to understand that reality and the added importance of the H-2A program. Michael Marsh, president and chief executive officer of the National Council of Agricultural Employers, spoke about the current labor crisis at the Georgia Agricultural Labor Relations Forum last …
WASHINGTON – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced last week the next steps in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s efforts to bolster U.S. agricultural trade, including the department’s planned trade missions for 2024 and the opening of a public comment period for the new Regional Agricultural Promotion Program (RAPP). These efforts will help to support further growth in agricultural exports and …
When you’re giving thanks this Thanksgiving, consider that much of your food grew in the Sunshine State, say University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) experts. Those edibles include corn, potatoes, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, lettuce and tomatoes. Like many of us, Nelly Nelson, family and consumer sciences agent for UF/IFAS Extension Manatee County, said she and her …
Southeast specialty crop producers should be mindful that the application deadline for the Farm Labor Stabilization and Protection Pilot Program (FLSP) has been extended. Applications now must be submitted by Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024. The pilot grant program is awarding up to $65 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding to support agricultural employers in implementing robust labor standards that …
Crop planning is an essential part of the citrus production process. What are you going to grow? Where are you going to market? How are you going to overcome HLB (huanglongbing or citrus greening)? John Chater, assistant professor at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center, discussed the different factors that …
While meeting with reporters at the National Association of Farm Broadcasting annual convention, USDA Undersecretary for Trade, Alexis Taylor, keyed in on trade missions that could be particularly beneficial to the nation’s specialty crop industries. Taylor said funding from the USDA will also help the industry with trade challenges. “In addition to some market development work, we’re doing a hundred …
By Clint Thompson While input expenses remain high, pecan prices are staggeringly low. That has forced some growers to contemplate their farming future, says Lenny Wells, University of Georgia Extension pecan specialist. “There’s a lot of discouragement out there right now. The costs of production have gone up. The prices have dropped. Even in the face of a short crop, …
Whitefly populations are increasing across multiple areas in southern Florida. According to the South Florida Pest and Disease Hotline, scouts, consultants and producers report whiteflies started strong in central Florida, but spray programs have kept them at a constant level. Moderate levels of nymphs are showing up in early crops across Southwest Florida. Reports indicate populations are increasing in tomatoes, …
By Clint Thompson The lingering drought is affecting some areas worse than others. It is especially dire in North Alabama where extreme dry conditions start as far south as Hale and Bibb counties stretch northward. Parts of Colbert, Lauderdale, Madison, Jackson and Dekalb are experiencing an exceptional drought. Eric Schavey, regional Extension agent in Northeast Alabama, discussed the impact the …
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small announced an investment of $27.9 million across 45 organizations that teach and train beginning farmers and ranchers, including programs for U.S. veterans who are entering into agricultural careers and starting new farming businesses. “The next generation of farmers and ranchers hold the promise for future American agriculture and rural …
