By Gary Cooper Red tide, blue-green algae, hemp and hurricanes were among the items discussed in recent days during legislative committee meetings in Tallahassee, Florida. Lawmakers and state officials are getting down to business and looking forward to the start of the legislative session in early March. Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried on Tuesday gave senate agriculture committee members a status …
State Block Grants Needed for 2018 Hurricane Recovery
The 2018 hurricanes cost several southeastern growers millions of dollars in lost production. Now, those growers are looking for federal dollars to help them recoup their losses from hurricanes like Florence and Michael. However, according to Robert Redding, an agricultural lobbyist in Washington, D.C., grants on the state level are imperative for vegetable and specialty crop growers. Redding believes growers …
Sneak Peek: February VSCNews Magazine
Hemp has been a hot topic in the vegetable and specialty crop industry, however there is still much to figure out regarding production practices and opportunities for southeastern growers. The February issue of VSCNews magazine will discuss the hype on hemp. In an article written by AgNet Media’s Abbey Taylor and Ernie Neff, readers will learn about the crop and …
Peach Pruning Improves San Jose Scale Control
By Alison DeLoach Recent research has shown that pruning peach trees can help growers reduce pests in their orchards. One pest in particular, San Jose scale, can cause difficulties for growers, including branch die back, and can ultimately lead to tree death if left untreated. Brett Blaauw, an assistant professor and Extension specialist at the University of Georgia and Clemson …
Rotating Organic Insecticides
Rotating insecticides is key for organic growers. According to Ayanava Majumdar, Extension entomologist with Auburn University, if growers do not rotate their insecticides, they run the risk of harming natural enemies. Majumdar has been testing organic insecticide rotations in Alabama over the past six years. He noticed that using one insecticide did not work very well against high populations of …
Applications Now Available for Pilot Industrial Hemp Production
The Alabama Department of Agriculture & Industries (ADAI) is now accepting applications from eligible producers, farmers, and universities interested in growing industrial hemp. ADAI is also accepting applications from prospective industrial hemp processors. In 2016, the Alabama Legislature passed the Alabama Industrial Hemp Research Program Act, Section 2-8-380 Code of Alabama 1975, tasking the Department with the development of a …
UAV-based Remote Sensing Can Help Avocado Growers by Detecting Asymptomatic Pathogen
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Remote imaging can effectively detect a pathogen that endangers the $100 million-a-year Florida avocado industry – even before the trees show symptoms — University of Florida scientists say. Yiannis Ampatzidis, an assistant professor of agricultural and biological engineering at the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, led recently published research that shows that multispectral cameras can …
Fresh From Florida in New York
By Breanna Kendrick The New York Produce Show and Conference in New York City is an important event for Florida growers. Deb May, trade development administrator with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), says last month was her fifth time attending the annual show. Florida farm operators seem to be a big presence at this event, as …
Genomic Technologies for Breeding Better Crops
By Tong Geon Lee The rapid explosion of genomic data in studies of plant genetics and biology is revolutionizing crop breeding. This progress has been driven by advances in genomic technologies. While genomic technologies are becoming increasingly common to plant breeders and geneticists, there has been a call for building a shared understanding of these technologies between non-scientific and scientific …
Consumers Driving the Produce Industry
By Breanna Kendrick Consumers are driving what produce reaches the market. It’s critical that farmers are able to recognize these demands and are able to accommodate them. Jeff Stepanovich, with Florida Specialties LLC in Immokalee, Florida, recently visited the New York Produce Show in New York City to promote his business. There, he shared with AgNet Media what consumer trends …