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Florida producers are encouraged to turn in their Census of Agriculture when they receive it in the mail. The state of Florida is so agriculturally diverse, that it is crucial for producers to participate so the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) can account for each crop grown. The national return rate is currently lower than it was at this point …
Commissioner Gary W. Black hosted a conference call to connect Georgia blueberry growers and agricultural industry representatives with U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary Bill Northey to discuss recent loss assessments for the 2018 blueberry crop. According to University of Georgia Extension, overall losses of both highbush and rabbiteye varieties could exceed 60 percent. This would mark the second consecutive …
By Breanna Kendrick Fourth-generation citrus grower James Orrock is a plant pathology graduate student at the University of Florida who is studying tea as a possible alternative crop to be grown on former citrus land. “The citrus industry is having to go through some changes, so one of the key aspects of Florida agriculture right now is diversification,” said Orrock. …
By Kevin M. Folta Citrus originated in Southeast Asia, not Southeast of Orlando. Strawberries came from a chance genetic mix between a plant from the Mid-Atlantic States and a plant from Chile that crossed in France. Tomatoes originated in the Andes Mountains in South America, then made their way to Europe before coming back across the Atlantic to North America. …
By Gary Cooper, Founder and President of AgNet Media, Inc. The three Republican candidates for Florida Agriculture Commissioner presented their views to approximately 200 attendees at a recent Candidate Summit Luncheon near Orlando. Coldwell Banker Commercial Saunders Real Estate organized and hosted the event in conjunction with its 10th annual Lay of the Land Conference, which draws a strong agricultural following. …
This past week, Florida Farm Bureau Federation (FFBF) held its annual Field to the Hill fly-in event, where Florida farmers had the opportunity to fly to Washington, D.C., and speak to their legislators about issues they are facing in the Florida agricultural industry. AgNet Media’s Abbey Taylor was able to tag along with the Farm Bureau members and witness firsthand …
Recently, the Florida Blueberry Growers Association (FBGA) sent out a release saying gall midge was the cause of severe crop loss within the Florida blueberry industry. Since the announcement, Oscar Liburd, an entomologist with the University of Florida, has written a report for Florida blueberry growers, describing the plant symptoms and management recommendations. The FBGA believes gall midge is an …
How can UV light impact crop diseases? That’s a question David Gadoury has been trying to answer since 1991 in collaboration with universities in Norway, the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s Lighting Research Center and the University of Florida. Gadoury, a senior research associate in Cornell’s Department of Plant Pathology, updated growers at the recent Agritech Trade Show in Plant City, Florida, …
Urge Congress to Fund Key Farm Bill Programs Members of the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance (SCFBA), a national coalition of more than 120 specialty crop organizations, will take their message to Congress on May 9, advocating for investment in specialty crops in the 2018 Farm Bill. During visits on Capitol Hill, the SCFBA members will outline their priorities, making …
By Anne Schwartz Conventional breeding techniques and chemical controls have long been agriculture’s central means for disease management. However, despite hundreds of crosses performed and generations of progeny evaluated, durably resistant varieties remain elusive. Today, plant breeders are armed with an alternative method when conventional breeding techniques are insufficient. Specifically designed, genetically engineered plants offer potential for the development of …
