By Clint Thompson A calm disease year for Florida’s strawberry growers meant fewer instances of Neopestalotiopsis Fruit Rot disease. After the previous couple of seasons, producers welcomed the break, says Natalia Peres, professor of Plant Pathology at the University of Florida/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center. “It’s been pretty quiet with few exceptions from growers that got plants that …
Freeze Impact: Watermelon Growers Still Determining Extent of Damage
By Clint Thompson Thursday’s expected sunshine should help shine a light on the damage inflicted on North Florida’s watermelon plants from last weekend’s sub-freezing temperatures. How much acreage will need to be replanted is still a question for growers impacted by temperatures as low as 30 degrees Fahrenheit in the Suwanee Valley. “Because this was not necessarily a frost situation, …
Nematodes Expected to be a Problem Again for Florida Specialty Growers
By Clint Thompson Another spring production season means another year of nematode management required for Florida’s specialty crop producers. Johan Desaeger, assistant professor of entomology and nematology at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, discusses why growers should always be wary of the microscopic worm-like pests. “They’re a problem every …
Decision Protects Florida Tomato Growers
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) released a statement after the U.S Department of Commerce rejected a request to exempt certain greenhouse-grown specialty tomatoes in Mexico from the 2019 U.S.-Mexico Tomato Suspension Agreement. This agreement was put in place to provide relief to domestic tomato growers against unfair trade practices. Exempting specialty tomatoes grown in Mexico from the Tomato Suspension Agreement …
Decision Protects Florida Tomato Growers
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) released a statement after the U.S Department of Commerce rejected a request to exempt certain greenhouse-grown specialty tomatoes in Mexico from the 2019 U.S.-Mexico Tomato Suspension Agreement. This agreement was put in place to provide relief to domestic tomato growers against unfair trade practices. Exempting specialty tomatoes grown in Mexico from the Tomato Suspension Agreement …
Highlands Citrus Growers Meeting Addresses Nutrition
Growers and industry stakeholders recently gathered in Sebring, Florida, to celebrate the 32nd annual meeting of the Highlands County Citrus Growers Association (HCCGA). During the meeting, speakers addressed some of the important issues confronting growers in Highlands County. Scott Angle, University of Florida vice president for agriculture and natural resources and leader of the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences …
Weed Management Concerns for Florida Growers
By Clint Thompson The current supply chain crisis is impacting Florida’s specialty crop producers’ ability to manage certain weed species. Peter Dittmar, University of Florida/IFAS Extension weed scientist, said certain herbicides have been hard to obtain for use this year. “One of the problems that I’ve been hearing, it’s not really a specific weed species, but it’s the availability of …
Decreased Disease Pressure for Florida Strawberry Growers
By Clint Thompson Of all the challenges that Florida strawberry growers had to overcome this year, it appears that disease pressure was not a major threat. Natalia Peres, professor of Plant Pathology at the University of Florida/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, confirmed that normal diseases have not been as prevalent in most fields this season. Weather conditions favored …
Clemson Extension Cautions Growers About Spider Mites
By Clint Thompson Fruit production is well under way in South Carolina’s coastal region. Rob Last, Clemson horticultural Extension agent for Bamberg, Barnewell, Allendale and Hampton counties, provided production updates for various crops, which includes minimal pest and disease pressure. “Everything’s looking very good at the moment,” Last said. “Peaches, blueberries and strawberries are all flowering nicely. We’re looking very …
Specialty Crop Growers Look to Take on Supply Chain Challenges
Over the past several years, the U.S. agriculture industry has never faced such unprecedented realities of supply uncertainty and sourcing challenges to meet consumer demand, and ultimately deliver an abundant food supply. Shipping challenges worldwide have made getting imports for specialty crop production incredibly difficult, costly and time-consuming. As significant chemical shortages and delays in receiving products persist, growers and retailers look to confide in a reliable partner. To help understand how we got here, it’s …