 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Plant City, FL – Chuck Hollenkamp, Wish Farms Director of Strawberry Grower Relations, was honored with the Florida Strawberry Growers Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award at its annual gala. This prestigious recognition celebrated Hollenkamp’s four decades of leadership and dedication to the Florida strawberry industry. “Chuck’s ability to build lasting relationships and his steady leadership have been instrumental to our success,” …
By Clint Thompson Neopestalotiopsis (Neo) management has taken center stage in recent years for Southeast strawberry growers. Producers must still be mindful of other disease issues that could arise this production season. Phil Brannen, University of Georgia (UGA) Cooperative Extension fruit disease specialist, highlighted phytophthora during an interview with AgNet Media. “We’ve gotten so concentrated on Neopestalotiopsis, we forget about …
By Clint Thompson One group, one shared message. That is what makes a 38-group coalition, including the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA), stand out. It continues its unified pursuit for a fair and reasonable adverse effect wage rate (AEWR) within the H-2A. “There’s so much good work going on in this space by various groups across the industry, …
WASHINGTON – Beginning in late December, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will spend several months gathering information about farm economics from farmers and ranchers throughout the United States, as the agency conducts the third and final phase of the 2025 Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS). “The data will help inform decisions on local and federal …
By Clint Thompson Strawberry production is progressing in Alabama. Growers who received their plants and put them in the ground in a timely fashion have an advantage over those who didn’t, according to Edgar Vinson, assistant research professor and Extension specialist in the Department of Horticulture at Auburn University. “The earlier that you can get the strawberry plants in the …
By Clint Thompson North Florida watermelon farmers are on the cusp of another planting season. They are currently planning for next year’s crop. Part of that planning stage was attending the recent Suwanee Valley Watermelon Institute. Mark Warren, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension agent in Levy County, helped organize the event this year in …
By Clint Thompson The first half of Eric Hunter’s life did not include agriculture. He had never been exposed to it. But after the last 25-plus years as a strawberry grower, he can’t imagine his life without it. The South Carolina farmer views his agricultural career as a calling. He and his wife, Kristi, operate Hunter Farms, a small family …
Drought conditions continue to improve across the Southeast, according to the Dec. 24 release of the U.S. Drought Monitor. The driest area in the region is still observed in South Georgia and North Florida. Extreme drought conditions in South Georgia include parts of Decatur, Grady, Thomas and Brooks counties. Extreme drought conditions in North Florida include all or parts of …
By Clint Thompson As soon as North Florida watermelon producers can get their plants in the ground, the sooner they can harvest their crop amid a tight marketing window. So, it has been no surprise to see so many farmers start their planting seasons earlier and earlier in recent years. But that has been the case and will likely happen again …
By Robin Loftin In 2023, when the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo was forced to leave the Lee Civic Center and Fort Myers, AgNet Media shared your disappointment. Like many of you, we hoped and prayed that one day we would have the opportunity to return. Today, we are thrilled to announce that those prayers have been answered. The 2026 …
