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By Taylor Sewell Following the Mind Your Melon Foundation’s inaugural Think Outside the Barn (TOTB) event, I am more hopeful than ever for the future of mental health in agriculture. The event was held in May at Southern Hill Farms in Clermont, Florida. While framed as a benefit, the event served as a deeper extension of the organization’s vision: To …
By Clint Thompson Farm security is national security, and the Trump administration is ensuring both are protected with the National Farm Security Action Plan. The plan highlights agriculture as a focus of the nation’s national security, addressing threats from foreign adversaries, including China. “We feed the world. We lead the world. And we’ll never let foreign adversaries control our land, …
By Clint Thompson The absence of extreme weather during this year’s sweet corn season in Florida benefited production but negatively impacted market prices. Weather conditions cooperated, as the state’s sweet corn growers produced a strong crop that was both high in quality and quantity. However, it also led to excess supply, which led to a drop in demand. Market prices …
By Clint Thompson Drought across the Southeast remains sporadic and mostly a non-issue, according to the July 17 release of the U.S. Drought Monitor. Florida remains the state with the most drought-like conditions, especially in the southern part of the state. Extreme, severe and moderate drought conditions are observed in South Florida. Extreme drought is seen in the western part …
By Clint Thompson This week’s block grant agreement between the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) concerning federal disaster assistance is a win for the state’s producers, including Dan Richey, president of Riverfront Packing Company. He was present for Monday’s press conference in Felda, Florida, where Ag Secretary Brooke L. Rollins announced …
In the South Carolina Grower, Clemson Plant Pathologist Tony Keinath provided vegetable growers results from a June 2025 bioassay with powdery mildew on susceptible yellow squash. All eight fungicides reduced the disease, though four worked better than the rest. Torino, Quintec, Gatten and Vivando suppressed powdery mildew on potted bioassay plants exposed for 48 hours to spores coming from nearby …
By Clint Thompson A good fungicide spray program will help protect Southeast grape production amid a rainy summer and potential disease buildup. Phil Brannen, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension fruit disease specialist, highlighted disease management and how much better the grape crop is protected compared to prior years. “If you have a good spray program, very aggressive, like an every …
By Frank Giles Producers featured in Specialty Crop Grower often come from multigenerational farm families. While that is well worth recognizing, when a first-generation farmer comes along, that is also worth celebrating in an age when farm numbers are declining. Paul Orsenigo, founder of Orsenigo Farms Inc., is a first-generation farmer. This year marks the 40th anniversary of his enterprise. …
(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins met with Florida agricultural leaders and producers on Monday and announced additional U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) assistance to help producers recover from Hurricanes Idalia, Debby, Helene and Milton. Secretary Rollins signed a block grant agreement with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) that provides recovery assistance …
Washington, D.C. — In his continued fight for Georgia farmers, Sen. Jon Ossoff sent a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins and Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper requesting answers on the lack of movement on a block grant agreement for federal relief more than 9 months after Hurricane Helene devastated Georgia’s agricultural communities — and more …
