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Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture formally approved Florida’s state hemp program, clearing the way for Florida growers to begin cultivating hemp later this month. Agriculture Commissioner Nicole “Nikki” Fried, who will oversee Florida’s state hemp program through the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), offered the following statement: “After months of incorporating feedback from …
By Clint Thompson Bob Stafford, manager of the Vidalia Onion Committee in Vidalia, Georgia, believes weather during the growing season has impacted this year’s Vidalia onion crop. “We planted 9,373 acres and lost some to hail and we lost some to too much water. We had a bad growing season. We’ll have a good promotable supply, but they’ll be a …
By Ashley Robinson There are a variety of nematodes that damage Florida potatoes. These plant-parasitic nematodes are small, microscopic roundworms that feed on plant tissue, causing severe damage to growers’ crops. To combat nematode populations, researchers at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) have been testing new nematicide products. ONGOING FIELD TRIALS Nematicide application is …
By Clint Thompson The country’s No. 3 state in strawberry production is expecting a “bumper crop” this year, according to Mark Hoffmann, North Carolina State small fruits Extension specialist. “If the weather holds up, it’s going to be one of the best strawberry years in a long time,” Hoffmann said. “It’s a bumper crop right now.” Hoffmann made the comments …
Department to Temporarily Amend Certain H-2A Requirements During COVID-19 National Emergency WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Department of Homeland Security, with the support of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), has announced a temporary final rule to change certain H-2A requirements to help U.S. agricultural employers avoid disruptions in lawful agricultural-related employment, protect the nation’s food supply chain and lessen impacts …
By Kirsten Romaguera, kromaguera@ufl.edu GAINESVILLE, Fla. — With agriculture and marine industries occupying a large portion of Florida’s economy, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) wants to better understand how measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 are impacting these sectors. Starting today, faculty from the UF/IFAS Food and Resource Economics (FRE) department are deploying …
By Clint Thompson Georgia’s peach crop is primed for a productive season. Hopefully, the market will oblige, says Dario Chavez, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension peach specialist. “We think, in general, the majority of the varieties did have enough chill (hours). The ones that we think may have some issues with chill are the later varieties, the higher-chill varieties. We …
By Clint Thompson Already a difficult production season for Florida’s fruit and vegetable producers, some are unjustly being criticized for trying to manipulate the market and get government handouts, says Gene McAvoy, UF/IFAS Extension agent emeritus. He defended growers and their farming operations amid scrutiny about criticism for not being more gracious with their crop. “It is a very complex …
By Clint Thompson Mark Hoffmann, small fruits Extension specialist at N.C. State University cautions strawberry growers about upcoming cooler temperatures that could impact fruit production. Hoffmann issued the caution earlier today as potential frost events could occur Thursday and Friday. “We are not out of the woods. Conditions are calling for one or two more potential frost nights in North …
By Gopinath (Gopi) Munisamy for UGA CAES News While all industries have been seriously affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, food and agriculture have been among the hardest hit segments of the U.S. economy. The primary reason lies in the composition of household food expenditures. The impacts of the pandemic appear to vary by commodity based on two critical issues: perishability and …
