By Ramdas Kanissery and Yiannis Ampatzidis Weeds are a significant problem in horticultural production and must be controlled to maintain good crop yield. Concerns related to non-judicious use of herbicides, which include ground and surface water contamination and pesticide residues in food, have sparked public awareness and restrictions on herbicide use. For these reasons, alternative and integrated systems for weed …
Coronavirus and Consumer Food-Buying Trends
(CFI) — Isolation and social distancing brought on by COVID-19, or coronavirus, are causing unprecedented changes in consumer behavior, according to The Center for Food Integrity (CFI) Consumer Trust Insights Council (CTIC), which brings together food industry thought leaders and social scientists to explore emerging trends. How the food system adapts to these changes is critical.  “Buying patterns have shifted dramatically …
Hemp Advice: Start Small, Be Cautious
There are numerous challenges facing potential growers of industrial hemp in Florida, said Jerry Fankhauser at the recent Florida Agricultural Policy Outlook Conference. Fankhauser is assistant director of the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station and lead oversight manager of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Industrial Hemp Pilot Project. Researchers involved in the project are looking …
Citrus Meeting Addresses Production Practices
By Clint Thompson Citrus was the focus of an annual meeting held in Quincy, Florida, on March 12. Growers from Florida and Georgia converged at the North Florida Research and Education Center to learn about various citrus management practices for the region. GROWER-GUIDED AGENDA Danielle Sprague, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension agent in Jefferson …
Ask the Expert: A Hemp Crop Insurance Q & A
(USDA) — Ask the Expert is a new series launching on farmers.gov. In this Ask the Expert, Andrew Kowalski answers a few questions about how farmers can use the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Multi-Peril Crop Insurance (MPCI) hemp pilot program to insure their hemp crop. Kowalski is a risk management specialist with the Risk Management Agency (RMA) based in …
Florida Blueberry Field Day Highlights Industry Advancements
By Ashley Robinson New blueberry varieties, management strategies and industry updates were all hot topics at the Florida Blueberry Growers Association’s (FBGA) spring field day. The sold-out event was held on March 10 at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Plant Science Research and Education Unit (PSREU) in Citra. BLUEBERRY BREEDING GRANT Patricio Munoz, assistant professor …
Mother Nature Impacting Blueberry Production
By Clint Thompson Weather has already played a factor in this year’s blueberry crop production in the Southeast. Farmers need to be wary of potential disease pressure following last week’s excessive rainfall, according to Renee Holland, University of Georgia area Extension blueberry agent in Alma, Georgia. RAINFALL ABOVE AVERAGE “With certain root-rot diseases, rain will actually help move pathogen spores …
Determining What It Will Take to Improve Water Resources
By Ashley Robinson Increased adoption of best management practices (BMPs) by agricultural producers is a potential tool for improving water resource conditions. However, the economic feasibility of this approach is largely unknown in watersheds connected to the Florida aquifer. The University of Florida (UF) has joined three other Southeastern universities in research efforts to help ensure water for agricultural production …
UGA Economist Says Block Grant Funds Will Help Georgia Producers
By Clint Thompson Georgia farmers hoping for financial relief from Hurricane Michael in 2018 can begin submitting online applications to the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) for the $347 million in Farm Recovery Block Grant funds on March 18. Adam Rabinowitz, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension assistant professor and agricultural economist, believes the block grant funds will provide extra benefits …
Tools for Tomato Weed Management
By Nathan Boyd Weed management programs for plasticulture tomato production in the southeastern United States typically rely on an array of tools to achieve satisfactory weed control. This may include tools such as fumigants, plastic mulches, pre-emergence herbicides, post-emergence herbicides and hand weeding. THE CULPRITS Purple and yellow nutsedge can be especially problematic due to their ability to puncture the …