Growers Can Get Help with High Tunnels

Web AdminNRCS, Top Posts, VSCNews magazine

By Jaci Schreckengost The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has an initiative to assist growers with the installation of high tunnels in their production systems. Monica Jones, a district conservationist with the NRCS in Florida, said the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) offers a High Tunnel System Initiative to help growers with installing a high tunnel. The NRCS is an …

Crop Insurance, Immigration Debate Critical for Produce Industry

Web AdminLabor, Legislative, Top Posts

Crop insurance and the current immigration debate continue to be hot topics in the fruit and vegetable industry. Robert Guenther, senior vice president of public policy for the United Fresh Produce Association, recently discussed these issues with AgNet Media Founder and President Gary Cooper. They spoke during the recent Crop Insurance Industry Convention in Scottsdale, Arizona. “There’s diverse opinions on …

Southeastern Strawberry Pest Problems

Web AdminPests, Strawberry, Top Posts

Strawberries are starting to make their seasonal debut in the Southeast as Florida growers begin their harvest. After the harvest is a great time to reflect on issues from the previous season and look toward the next season. Rebecca Schmidt-Jeffris, assistant professor of entomology at Clemson University, recently gave a presentation on a strawberry pest that caused problems this past …

When Will NAFTA Renegotiations End?

Web AdminLegislative, NAFTA, Top Posts, Trade

Renegotiation talks for the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) began in August 2017. Representatives from the United States, Canada and Mexico complete the seventh round of talks on March 6 in Mexico City. John VanSickle, a professor of food and resource economics at the University of Florida, recently gave a NAFTA update at the Florida Agricultural Policy Outlook Conference. …

The Evolution of the Industry’s View on the Farm Bill

Web AdminLegislative, Top Posts

“We never wanted to be brought into the farm bill,” says Robert Guenther, senior vice president of public policy for the United Fresh Produce Association. He is speaking for the fruit and vegetable industry. “We were really focused on not wanting to become a subsidized commodity back in the day. That’s evolved,” he says. So, why the change? Guenther says …

Sneak Peek: March 2018 VSCNews Magazine

Web AdminResearch, Sneak peek, Top Posts, VSCNews magazine

Growers are constantly looking for ways to better the health of their crops while increasing yields. In the March 2018 issue of VSCNews magazine, growers can learn methods to improve plant production from top researchers in the Southeast. Finding alternative methods to methyl bromide has been a constant struggle for growers. Jenna C. Vance, University of Georgia (UGA) crop and …

National Strawberry Day Brings Attention to UF/IFAS Varieties

Web AdminBerries, Industry News Release, Strawberry, Top Posts

Vance Whitaker toils day and night to develop the tastiest, best-looking, aromatic strawberries a consumer would want. Yummy enough for a nutritious snack or to help flavor a cake or pie just in time for National Strawberry Day on Feb. 27. Whitaker, an associate professor of horticultural sciences at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), …

Target Spot Getting Tougher to Control

Web AdminProduce, Research, Tomatoes, Top Posts

Alarming levels of fungicide resistance have been detected among isolates of the pathogen that causes target spot on tomato in Florida. By Gary E. Vallad and Samuel Hutton Fresh-market tomatoes are a valuable crop for Florida and are vulnerable to a number of fungal diseases. However, few fungal diseases have caused as much grower concern over the last six years …

When Can Growers Expect to Receive Relief Funds?

Web AdminLegislative, Top Posts, Weather

Florida growers can now breathe a sigh of relief since disaster funding is coming their way. On Feb. 9, a relief package was passed to help the United States following the array of natural disasters in 2017, which included approximately $2.4 billion dollars specifically for U.S. agriculture. However, the big question on everyone’s mind is, how and when will growers …

Watermelon Disease Watch

Web AdminCucurbits, Research, Top Posts, Watermelon

Florida watermelon growers are constantly faced with the challenge of disease management. Whether it’s diseases vectored by whiteflies or fungal diseases such as fusarium wilt, once a crop is infected, the results can be detrimental. Nicholas Dufault, assistant professor of plant pathology and Extension specialist at the University of Florida (UF) in Gainesville, has been studying ways growers can manage …