By Karla Arboleda While the H-2A program in the United States helps agriculture when native workers are not able or willing, experts agree that H-2A reform could lead to a more sustainable industry. The hard work and discipline required of people working on farms have become less attractive to Americans. This puts U.S. growers at a disadvantage in comparison to …
‘If I Take Care of the Land, the Land’s Going to Take Care of Me’
A Florida strawberry grower went above and beyond to be a steward of the land, earning the 4R Advocate Award. Agricultural producers pride themselves on being stewards of the land. Dustin Grooms, farm manager of Fancy Farms, is an excellent example of that. Grooms is a 2019 recipient of the 4R Advocate Award. This national award is given to five …
Sneak Peek: VSCNews Magazine May 2019
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 …
Rubio, Colleagues Raise Concerns Regarding Lack of Effective Trade Enforcement for Seasonal Produce in USMCA
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Representatives Vern Buchanan (R-FL), Stephanie Murphy (D-FL), and Al Lawson (D-FL) led a bipartisan group of Senators and Representatives in a letter raising concerns to United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer regarding the lack of progress in the new U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) with respect to improved mechanisms to initiate and sustain legitimate anti-dumping and countervailing …
Growing Multiple Crops on the Same Plastic Mulch
By Nathan Boyd Vegetable growers throughout the Southeast face intensive economic pressure from foreign competition, volatile markets and increased production costs. Alternative production systems are needed that reduce input costs and increase economic return. One potential approach is to grow more than one crop on the same plastic mulch. The vast majority of horticultural crops in the Southeast are grown …
Plant City’s Fancy Farms Wins 4R Advocate Award
Fancy Farms, a strawberry farm in Plant City, Florida, is one of the five winners of the Fertilizer Institute’s 4R Advocate Award for 2019. The award is being presented this week during Commodity Classic in Orlando, Florida. Dustin and Carl Grooms of Fancy Farms will be recognized, as well as Jerrod Parker of Chemical Dynamics as Fancy Farms’ fertilizer service …
Labor Issues in the Specialty Crop Industry
By Zhengfei Guan Florida is a large supplier of fruits and vegetables in the United States. Major fruits and vegetables produced in Florida include citrus, strawberries, tomatoes, bell peppers, cantaloupes, watermelons, etc. The production and harvest of these crops are labor intensive. For example, University of Florida researchers estimate that harvesting 1 acre of oranges requires 50 hours. More than …
UV Light Can Zap Plant Pathogens
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, …
The Next Big Biotech Traits
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 …
Hole-Punch Technology Dramatically Reduces Herbicide Use
By Nathan S. Boyd and Arnold Schumann The majority of vegetables grown in Florida are grown on raised, fumigated beds covered with plastic mulch. This production technique has been widely adopted because the combination of plastic mulch and drip tape improves water and fertility efficiency. The use of plastic mulches has many additional benefits, including improved crop quality, reduced water …