Teaching the Next Generation About Aquaculture

Web AdminFlorida, Top Posts

By Eric Cassiano Aquaculture is one of the fastest growing agricultural sectors. As the need for aquaculture increases, the opportunity for several careers develops. Many K-12 schools have identified and addressed this growing need by implementing aquaculture within their curriculums. Island Coast High School (ICHS) in Lee County has one of the largest K-12 aquaculture programs in Florida.  It all …

bacterial spot

Controlling Bacterial Spot on Tomatoes and Peppers

Web AdminAlabama, Research, Tomatoes, Vegetables

Alabama Extension wants those growing tomatoes and peppers to be aware of bacterial spot, a common disease on the leaves of those two plants. There are several steps growers can take to control and prevent the disease, which involves using multiple management tactics. Controlling the disease with chemicals alone usually results in failure. Steps growers can take include rotating fields …

Turn Field Losses into Profits

Web AdminBusiness, Top Posts, VSCNews magazine

By Lisa Johnson and Rebecca Dunning Nobody likes to be wasteful, but if it’s costlier to save something than to throw it away, a business owner is going to head for the garbage can. For fruit and vegetable growers, chemical destruction and tilling under are oft-used options near the tail end of a harvest. These practices occur even when product …

florida fruit

Will the United States Revisit the Trans-Pacific Partnership?

Web AdminTop Posts, Trade

According to USTR.gov, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) “writes the rules for global trade.” The TPP trade deal that began with the Obama administration was left unfinished, and now it doesn’t include the United States at all. At the beginning of his presidency, Donald Trump backed out of the TPP, eliminating U.S. involvement in the deal. However, Bill Lane, executive director …

Bags Protect and Improve Peaches

Web AdminFlorida, Georgia, Organic, Peaches, Top Posts, VSCNews magazine

By David Campbell and Danielle Treadwell Peach growers have rediscovered a tool to add to their integrated pest and disease management toolbox — a unique paper bag. Easy to install and remove, the bag has extra durability to withstand wind and rain throughout the season. And if our data is consistent with previous observations, bagging may be affordable for many …

Sneak Peek: VSCNews Magazine May 2019

Web AdminSneak peek, Top Posts

Florida strawberry growers may recognize the man on the cover of the May issue of VSCNews magazine. Dustin Grooms of Fancy Farms in Plant City, Florida, is featured for being a recipient of the 4R Advocate Award. Learn more about his operation and what he did to win the honor in the magazine. Pest management is also discussed in this …

Studying Salmonella Prevention in Produce

Web AdminFood Safety, Produce, Research, Top Posts

By Alison DeLoach Food safety is a top priority for food scientists in the United States. Govindaraj Dev Kumar, an assistant professor at the Center for Food Safety at the University of Georgia, is researching the foodborne pathogen salmonella and the threat it poses to food safety. Kumar said there are 2,500 different types of salmonella found in poultry, eggs …

Be Aware of Heat-Related Illness

Web AdminTop Posts, Weather

By Alison DeLoach Heat-related illness (HRI) is often overlooked and not taken as seriously as it should be. Agricultural workers can suffer from HRI and be hospitalized if they don’t take preventive measures. Thomas Bernard, a professor in the College of Health at the University of South Florida, spoke on HRI last October at the State of the Science meeting …

Growers of Organic Vidalia Onions Face Challenges

Web AdminGeorgia, Onion, Organic, Research, Top Posts, VSCNews magazine

By Bhabesh Dutta, Carroll Johnson and Jason Schmidt Vidalia onion ranks first in terms of farmgate value among vegetables in Georgia, making it the most important vegetable crop in the state. Among the spring-grown onions in the United States, Georgia ranks first because Vidalia onions are predominantly grown in spring. Although most of the acreage is conventional, nearly 20 percent …

Preparing for the Florida Ag Expo

Web AdminFlorida, Florida Ag Expo, Top Posts

Planning for the 2019 Florida Ag Expo (FAE) is well underway. This week, the FAE seminar planning committee met to brainstorm ideas for the educational program. Attendees will have the opportunity to earn continuing education units and receive updates on the latest cutting-edge research from the University of Florida (UF). The AgNet Media team that manages FAE met with UF …