Farmers, nursery managers and others can get a glimpse of the latest and greatest University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) research into tomatoes, strawberries, hemp, hops and ornamental plants at the annual Florida Ag Expo at the UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center. Informative sessions will fill the day, with events running from 7:30 a.m. …
Crop Insurance Deadlines Near in Florida
Avocado, Blueberry, and Pasture, Rangeland, Forage and Apiculture Producers Need to Make Insurance Decisions Soon Tallahassee, FL (FDACS-Oct. 14, 2019) — The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency (USDA RMA) are reminding Florida avocado, blueberry, pasture, rangeland, and forage (PRF) and apiculture producers that deadlines to apply for crop insurance …
Inside the University of Florida Blueberry Breeding Program
By Patricio Munoz and Doug Phillips The University of Florida (UF) blueberry breeding program has a long history of pioneering the development of southern highbush blueberries (SHB) that can thrive in Florida’s hot, humid climate. The breeding program focuses on developing varieties with high yield, good fruit quality and early ripening within a shrinking market window. The success of Florida’s …
Sneak Peek: October VSCNews Magazine
The October issue of VSCNews magazine touches on a variety of topics, including post-harvest protection, dormancy induction in blueberries and a strawberry spotlight. The Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) was created in order to promote free and fair trade of U.S. agricultural commodities. Travis Hubbs, chief of the Investigative Enforcement Branch in the PACA Division of the U.S. Department of …
Can a Lower Rate of Hydrogen Cyanamide Be Used in Peaches?
By Tripti Vashisth and Bikash Adhikari The Florida peach industry has an advantage of producing fruit in the early-market window before Georgia and South Carolina fruit hits the market. CHILL HOUR ACCUMULATIONMild winters and fluctuating temperatures in fall continue to be some of the biggest challenges for peach production in Florida. Peach trees are deciduous; therefore, they need a certain …
Cloud-Based Software Helps Farmers on the Ground
A University of Florida agricultural engineer has developed software that can help farmers find the best places to plant crops and to identify fruit and vegetable varieties that perform better against diseases. Now, Yiannis Ampatzidis is leading an effort to refine the software so it can help growers even more. To help farmers protect and even increase their harvests, Ampatzidis, …
New UF Extension Specialist Aims to Assist Small Fruit Growers
By Karla Arboleda Southwest Florida growers can expect help from new small fruit Extension specialist Sriyanka Lahiri. At the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC), Lahiri works with strawberries and blueberries to develop a pest management program that uses less broad-spectrum insecticides. Appointed in February, Lahiri helps the small …
Nikki Fried Announces Members of New Hemp Advisory Committee
Commissioner Nicole “Nikki” Fried announced the members of her new Hemp Advisory Committee, which will help guide the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ hemp rulemaking process and the state’s emerging hemp industry development. Commissioner Fried is committed to Florida becoming a national leader on industrial hemp production. The appointment of committee members comes after the department held three workshops …
Potential Impacts of the USMCA on Florida and Georgia
By Karla Arboleda Two individual reports from the University of Florida (UF) and University of Georgia (UGA) say that the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) could lead to economic losses in both Florida and Georgia, respectively, if it is ratified by Congress. The renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has been ratified in Mexico, and the United States …
Florida Strawberries Support Latest UF Studies on USMCA
The following information was written by the Florida Strawberry Growers Association and expresses that organization’s views. DOVER, Fla. (FSGA) – The significance of the latest studies from the University of Florida/IFAS cannot be understated as they confirm what Florida growers have been saying for years about the negative impacts of subsidized fruit and vegetable imports from Mexico during our winter …