By Clint Thompson Peach producers should be wary of a second peak of San Jose scale crawler activity, according to Brett Blaauw, assistant professor at the University of Georgia (UGA) College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. “With the weather starting to come back to whatever normal is and cool down a little bit, I think that will allow the development …
Register Now for EPA Certified Soil Fumigant Applicator Training
Florida specialty crop producers are encouraged to register now for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Certified Soil Fumigant Applicator Training workshop, scheduled for Thursday, July 14 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Hendry County Extension office in LaBelle, Florida. In order for an applicator to utilize fumigants, they must have a Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services …
UF/IFAS Scientist: Financial Support ‘Shot in Arm’ for Research to Update BMPs
By Clint Thompson Financial support was just what the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) needed to conduct research and provide farmers with new and improved recommendations for fertilization of five significant Florida crops. Thomas Obreza, senior associate dean for UF/IFAS Extension and project leader, discussed the impact that $8.8 million will have in research pertaining …
Blueberry Management for July
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) reminds Florida producers about what blueberry management tactics they need to consider as the calendar turns to July. Growers should scout for algal stem blotch, a key disease in southern highbush blueberries. It can stunt growth and cause yellowing in leaves. Farmers should also monitor and manage leaf diseases. They …
Consumers Paying More for BBQ
This year’s Independence Day cookouts will have consumers paying more for their favorite backyard food fare. They will pay $69.68 for their summer cookout foods, including cheeseburgers, pork chops, chicken breasts, homemade potato salad, strawberries and ice cream, based on a new American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) marketbasket survey. The average cost of a summer cookout for 10 people is $69.68, which …
UGA Expert’s Senate Testimony Calls for Predictable, Equitable Trade Policies
By Jordan Powers When visualizing the daily life of farmers, we often think of green fields, hardworking families and harvest time. Often missing from the picture of the modern American farmer is his daily concern with fuel and fertilizer prices, crop yields and trade issues. On June 9, Gopinath “Gopi” Munisamy, distinguished professor of agricultural marketing and interim head of …
Meet Alabama Extension’s New and Improved Farming Basics App
AUBURN UNIVERSITY, Ala. – In 2019, the Alabama Cooperative Extension System brought the world of farming to the palm of a farmer’s hand with a smartphone application (app). The Farming Basics app opened a gateway of information for small and beginning farmers. Fast forward to 2022 — this app has a facelift, providing even more information to farmers. “The new …
Supreme Court EPA Ruling Watched Closely by Agricultural Interests
By Frank Giles The Supreme Court of the United States has made some consequential judgements during its latest term. Among them on the last day of June, was its ruling on the case — West Virginia vs. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The case has been watched closely by many industries, including agriculture, because it took up the question of the …
USDA Proposes Changes to Florida Citrus Marketing Order
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced proposed amendments to the Florida citrus marketing order. As recommended by the Florida Citrus Administrative Committee, changes would include reducing the size and quorum requirements of the committee and revising the nomination and selection processes of committee members. The requirement of allocating committee seats based on volume from each district would also …
July 4th Cookout Prices Up by 17%
This year’s Independence Day cookouts will have consumers paying a lot more for their favorite backyard food fare. They will pay $69.68 for their summer cookout foods, including cheeseburgers, pork chops, chicken breasts, homemade potato salad, strawberries and ice cream, based on a new American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) marketbasket survey. The average cost of a summer cookout for 10 …