Don’t Get Spooked by Ugly Fruit

Web AdminFood Safety, Fruit, Top Posts, Vegetables

By Breanna Kendrick Each year, up to 20 percent of the fruits and vegetables harvested in the United States go to waste because they’re not visually pleasing to consumers. Jeffrey Brecht, professor in the Horticultural Sciences Department at the University of Florida, works in the area of post-harvest horticulture. He focuses on measuring the quality of fruits and vegetables in …

Alabama Extension Puts All Hands on Deck After Michael

Web AdminTop Posts, Weather

Hurricane Michael blew through the Southeastern region in early October. Vegetable growers in Georgia are still suffering from sunburnt peppers, and Florida growers are facing up to 100 percent crop loss. In Alabama, cotton seemed to take the worst hit in the southeastern corner of the state. Hurricane Michael also devastated greenhouses, cucumbers, tomatoes and several Alabama Extension research plots. …

Panhandle Growers See Major Losses from Michael

Web AdminCucurbits, Tomatoes, Top Posts, Weather

By Breanna Kendrick Hurricane Michael hit the Florida Panhandle hard. Farmers across this region have lost some, if not all, of their crops. Josh Freeman, associate professor of horticultural sciences at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences North Florida Research and Education Center in Quincy, surveyed the area of Gadsden and Jackson counties for crop damages. …

Heavy Rains May Reduce Silverleaf Whiteflies

Web AdminTomatoes, Top Posts

By Breanna Kendrick Silverleaf whitefly is a concern for growers across the state of Florida. The pest transmits tomato yellow leaf curl virus. “Some years, it’s very heavy early on and growers have to replant. But so far, the pests seem to be pretty well managed,” says Hugh Smith, associate professor of entomology and nematology at the University of Florida’s …

Late Blight: Centuries-Old Pathogen with Deadly Impacts

Web Adminpotato, Research, Tomatoes, Top Posts

Late blight is a deadly, chronic pathogen that occurs annually in potato and tomato crops. Pam Roberts, a professor of plant pathology at the University of Florida, dubbed it a “disease of distinction” during her presentation at the 2018 Citrus Expo. According to Roberts, there is a variety of factors that can contribute to a late blight infection. Once a …

Putnam Briefs Pence and Perdue on Initial Agricultural Damage from Hurricane Michael

Web AdminIndustry News Release, Top Posts, Weather

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Hurricane Michael devastated the Florida Panhandle, and today Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam briefed Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue on the initial agricultural damage assessment. Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Gary W. Black joined Commissioner Putnam for the briefing. Commissioner Putnam’s statement is below: “Hurricane Michael devastated the Florida Panhandle, and …

What’s Causing Bacterial Spot in Transplant Houses?

Web AdminTomatoes, Top Posts

Bacterial spot infection in tomato transplant houses moves quickly and can cause serious losses. Peter Abrahamian, a post-doctoral associate at the University of Florida’s Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC), has been studying this disease and its movement in transplant houses. The main objective of Abrahamian’s research was to find out what causes the infection and how it moves …

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Labor Issues in the Specialty Crop Industry

Web AdminLabor, Top Posts, VSCNews magazine

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 …

Senators Take Aim at Unfair Trade Practices Hurting Florida Fruit and Vegetable Growers

Web AdminFruit, Industry News Release, Trade, Vegetables

U.S. Senators Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) introduced legislation to help Florida fruit and vegetable growers combat unfair trade practices. The bill comes amid long-standing and increasing complaints from Florida farmers that Mexican growers illegally flood the U.S. market with subsidized produce during the winter season. Florida is one of the few places in the country that can …

Tips for Tuning Up Packing and Cooling Facilities

Web AdminResearch, Top Posts, VSCNews magazine

By Jeffrey K. Brecht and Steven A. Sargent As we approach a new packing season, now is a good time to consider your handling and cooling operations. Take the time to walk through your facilities with pad and paper in hand. This will jog your memory about issues you noticed last season so that they can be fixed this season. …