The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking nominations from specialty crop stakeholders to serve on the Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee (FVIAC). The deadline to submit nominations is Sept. 3, 2024. The Secretary of Agriculture will appoint up to 25 individuals for two-year terms to succeed members whose terms will expire Oct. 28. Detailed information about the advisory …
Drought Monitor Update: Moderate Conditions Observed in Southeast Region
Intense heat and lack of rainfall have contributed to moderate dry conditions expanding across the Southeast, including in Florida, Georgia and Alabama, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Northeast Florida is mostly moderately dry. The dry area starts as far west as Jefferson and Madison counties and expands eastward to Duval, Saint Johns and Flagler counties and southward to Marion …
Production for Top Five Fresh Vegetables Increased 2%
The production of the top five fresh vegetables, not including potatoes, increased 2% from the prior season, though the national supply of fresh-market vegetables dropped by 1.2% in 2023, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service Situation and Outlook Report. The production increase was instigated by expansions in planted acreage, improved weather conditions and increased yields. Increases …
Farm Service Agency Seeking Nominations for Farmers to Serve on Local County Committees
WASHINGTON – Nominations are currently being accepted for farmers and ranchers to serve on local U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) county committees. These committees make important decisions about how federal farm programs are administered locally. All nomination forms for the 2024 election must be postmarked or received in the local FSA office by Aug. 1, 2024. …
Drought Monitor Update: Dry Conditions Worsening Across Southeast
Drought is worsening across the Southeast, with most of Alabama, Florida and Georgia experiencing either abnormally dry or moderately dry conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Florida’s worst conditions are located in the northeastern part of the state. They start as far south as Citrus and Marion counties and stretch northward to Nassau, Baker, Columbia, Hamilton, Madison and Jefferson …
Registration Open for Florida Ag Labor Relations Forum
Registration is currently under way for the 50th annual Agricultural Labor Relations Forum, scheduled for Aug. 28-30 at the Wyndham Grand Orlando Resor Bonnet Creek in Orlando, Florida. The Florida Specialty Crop Foundation will present the forum, designed to educate agricultural employers, including growers, shippers, farm labor contractors, and other employers, on compliance with agricultural labor laws and sound relations …
You’ve Got Mail: FFVA Chair Provides Comments to Governor on Farmworker Housing Situation
David Hill, chairman of the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association (FFVA), sent a letter to Governor Ron DeSantis in mid-June in support of Senate Bill 1082. Senate Bill 1082 According to the Florida Senate: “Senate Bill 1082 preempts a local government from inhibiting the construction or installation of housing for legally verified agricultural workers on land classified as agricultural if …
Sneak Peek: July 2024 Specialty Crop Grower Magazine
The cover story of the July issue of Specialty Crop Grower Magazine puts the spotlight on DiMare Company, one of the largest field-grown tomato producers and packers in the U.S. Tony DiMare, president of DiMare Fresh and DiMare Homestead, recounts the company’s history, which spans 96 years and started with Tony’s grandfather, Anthony, and his two brothers. Deer and feral …
GFVGA Executive Director: Congressional Reform Needed for H-2A Program
By Clint Thompson Unionization among farmworkers goes against the Supreme Court ruling and is a basis for the lawsuit against the Department of Labor (DOL) by the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association. It also serves as added rationale that the H-2A program needs congressional reform, says Chris Butts, executive director of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA). …
USDA Proposes Revising Section 8e Import Inspection Fee Structure for Fresh Fruits, Vegetables
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is proposing revisions to the regulations governing the inspection and certification of fresh fruits, vegetables and other products. These proposed changes include a per-pound fee structure for certain Section 8e import inspections; a minimum fee equivalent to a 2-hour charge computed at the current established hourly rate, whichever is greater; …

















