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In January, AgNet Media announced the acquisition of the assets of Florida Grower magazine from Meister Media Worldwide. The magazine, which began publishing in 1908, will join AgNet Media’s print brands Citrus Industry and Specialty Crop Industry. With complementary audiences and coverage of Florida’s citrus and specialty crop sectors, Florida Grower will fit hand-in-glove with AgNet Media’s offerings. “We are …
Growers gathered in Fort Pierce last week for the Florida Citrus Show. More than 30 presentations and panel discussions were held during the two-day event. Topics covered included production, technology and markets. With the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) predicting the smallest citrus crop in more than 70 years, urgency to seek solutions to HLB was high on the agenda. …
By Peter Chaires My maternal grandmother used to say, “Getting old ain’t for sissies.” There is some universally applicable wisdom in that short saying. Sometimes the mere act of survival is an accomplishment. Consider the challenges that a 50- to 75-year-old citrus tree has faced during its life in Florida. I’ll spare you the nausea of a comprehensive list, but …
By Julien Beuzelin Fall armyworms and corn silk flies are the main insect pests of sweet corn in Florida. Management relies primarily on insecticides, but the two pests represent different challenges. Fall armyworm infestations can be devastating if left unmanaged. However, several registered insecticides such as methomyl (Lannate, Nudrin), chlorantraniliprole (Coragen, Vantacor) or spinetoram (Radiant) are very effective at maintaining …
Over the past several years, the U.S. agriculture industry has never faced such unprecedented realities of supply uncertainty and sourcing challenges to meet consumer demand, and ultimately deliver an abundant food supply. Shipping challenges worldwide have made getting imports for specialty crop production incredibly difficult, costly and time-consuming. As significant chemical shortages and delays in receiving products persist, growers and retailers look to confide in a reliable partner. To help understand how we got here, it’s …
By Frank Giles This year, Wish Farms, a Plant City-based berry grower and marketer, will celebrate a century in operation. Gary Wishnatzki, president of Wish Farms, represents the third generation in the family business. Gary’s grandfather, Gershon Wishnatzki, was the first generation that started with a fruit and vegetable pushcart in New York City. Gershon made his way to Florida …
Fall has arrived (at least according to the calendar), and we will soon have an opportunity to resume citrus variety display and field day events, which provide a great way to see products from the in-state, plant-breeding programs and help identify those selections that appear to have market potential. Displays will include fresh and processed selections. The success and effectiveness …
This the final installment of four special Q&A features with Larry Black, the 2021 Florida Grower Citrus Achievement Award winner. He is VP and General Manager of Ft. Meade, FL-based Peace River Packing Co. Do you have a fond memory or story about growing citrus? BLACK: I planted my first grove after graduating college in 1997 in partnership with my …
Last month, KeyPlex, a plant health product supplier, invited me to attend a peptide symposium. The use of peptides in citrus has become a hot topic in the past year, so the event drew about 80 growers and other industry stakeholders. KeyPlex presented the learning session at Streamsong Golf Resort in Bowling Green, FL. The company says it chose to …
Word of a new Best Management Practices (BMP) manual and regulations being released this year has been causing a buzz among Florida citrus growers. The reason: phosphorus. With the passage of Senate Bill (SB) 712 (Clean Waterways Act) last year, Florida embarked on a legislative and regulatory path to address water quality issues plaguing sensitive ecosystems in the state, including …
