By Breanna Kendrick Ali Sarkhosh, assistant professor and Extension specialist at the Horticultural Sciences Department at the University of Florida, is conducting research on how well pomegranates will grow in Florida’s climate. The potential for growing pomegranates profitably in Florida is currently unknown at this time. Research continues on the possibility of pomegranates becoming a new crop produced in Florida. …
Citrus Root Weevil Invades Florida Blueberries
The Florida Blueberry Growers Association (FBGA) and the University of Florida (UF) are warning Florida blueberry growers to be on the lookout for citrus root weevil. A pest that has been an issue in citrus for years has made its way on to another crop entirely, causing significant damage in central and south central Florida. Historically, citrus root weevils are …
Prepare Your Equipment for Summer Sprays
The correct equipment can give growers more even insecticide sprays. Ayanava Majumdar, Extension entomologist with the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service, wants growers to think about equipment when thinking about insecticides. Since the summer season is beginning, Majumdar is encouraging growers to check on the condition of their spray equipment. “Oftentimes we forget to check the condition of the equipment, and …
Alternative Ways to Make Money
By Breanna Kendrick Regional Extension agent Kevin Athearn conducts research on the economics of alternative crops at the North Florida Research and Education Center in Live Oak, Florida. The question Athearn gets asked the most is: What is the most profitable alternative crop? “That’s a difficult question to answer,” he says. “For every crop, you’ll find some people that have …
House Farm Bill Vote Surprises and Disappoints
By Brian German Republican lawmakers were shocked that the farm bill vote in the House of Representatives did not get the anticipated support from legislators. Disagreements between GOP leadership and more conservative elements of the party resulted in a final vote of 198 in favor and 213 opposed, with nearly 30 Republicans voting against the bill. House Agriculture Committee Chairman …
Peach Fruit Fly Pest Alert for Florida
A male peach fruit fly, Bactrocera zonata (Saunders) (Tephritidae), was captured in a fruit fly detection trap on 9 May 2018 in Lake Worth (Palm Beach County). A second male was captured about 1.25 miles away, also in Lake Worth on 10 May 2018. This is only the second time that this pest species has been found in Florida. A …
Be Counted: Turn in Your Ag Census
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 …
Georgia Blueberry Growers Suffer Second Consecutive Year of Loss
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 …
The Possibility of Tea Production as a Citrus Alternative
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. …
Florida Native Plants — Tomorrow’s Fruits and Vegetables?
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. …