By Bhabesh Dutta, Govindaraj DevKumar, Brian Kvitko and Hemant Naikare Organic onion production has grown substantially over the last two decades with the adoption of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Organic Program (NOP). Consumer demand for organic food is rapidly increasing. U.S. organic growers, both large and small, are benefiting from this trend. Organic onion production faces several …
USDA Announces Grant Funding Available for Specialty Crop Multi-State Program
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on Friday that $10 million is available for competitive grant funding in the 2021 Specialty Crop Multi-State Program (SCMP). “This program is an important resource to strengthen the competitiveness of our nation’s specialty crop industry,” said Bruce Summers, administrator of USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service, which manages SCMP. “By working across state lines, grant …
Senator Warnock Cosponsors Legislation to Provide Financial Relief to Small Farmers
From the Office of Senator Warnock Washington, D.C. – Last week at the Senate agriculture committee, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) emphasized the importance of Congress supporting small farmers, including passing the Relief for America’s Small Farmers Act — legislation cosponsored by Senator Warnock that will support America’s small farmers through financial relief to mitigate losses suffered due to chain disruptions …
Protecting Peppers from Bacterial Spot
By Pamela Roberts and Cami Esmel McAvoy Bell and specialty peppers, such as jalapeños, are grown throughout the United States and worldwide for the fresh market or processing. Bacterial spot, caused by three different species of Xanthomonas, is a major disease affecting all pepper types. The most commonly occurring species in the United States and Florida is Xanthomonas euvesicatoria. The …
Wet Summer Effect: Sanitation Key in Protecting Fall Crops From Diseases
By Clint Thompson A wet summer means plant diseases are rampant across the entire gamut of vegetable and specialty crop production. As Georgia producers prepare for the upcoming fall season, they need to do all they can to protect against disease inoculum that might linger in leftover fruit and vegetable crops. This is especially true for watermelon producers, says Tim …
Tomato Producers Be Wary of Fall Diseases
By Clint Thompson Tomato season is here for producers in Florida. Diseases like bacterial leaf spot and target spot should be on the mind of growers preparing their fungicide programs, says Josh Freeman, University of Florida/IFAS Associate Professor in Horticultural Science. “In the fall season we really worry about bacterial leaf spot getting established early just because we’re in a …
McBrayer Tapped To Lead Young Farmers Division
The Alabama Farmers Federation is welcoming a familiar face as director of its Young Farmers Division. Hunter McBrayer, a commodity director whose roots run deep in the Young Farmers program, will begin his new role Aug. 23. McBrayer said he is eager to travel the state, meet with members on their farms, increase engagement and help Young Farmers be more …
Update on Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus in Florida
By Ozgur Batuman and Salih Yilmaz Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) is a highly contagious, devastating and economically important plant virus. It mainly threatens greenhouse-grown vegetable crops worldwide, especially tomatoes and peppers. ToBRFV is very similar to other tobamoviruses, such as tomato mosaic virus (ToMV) and tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), two tomato-infecting viruses common to most Florida growers. Although …
Tomato, Pepper Listening Sessions Scheduled with USDA RMA
Florida and Georgia tomato and pepper producers are invited to listening sessions with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency (RMA). Feedback about potential production and revenue history policy is wanted for both commodities. The fresh market tomato sessions are for growers in South Florida, industry members and regional insurance representatives. The pepper sessions are for fresh market growers …
Favorable Outcome for UF/IFAS
The 2021 Florida legislative session will be described in the history books as unique. COVID-19 protocols resulted in empty and eerily quiet hallways in the Capitol. Masks and regular COVID-19 tests were required, and citizens and lobbyists made public comments virtually from a building blocks away from the Capitol. The beginning and end of the session were polar opposites. Based …