By Shane Curry and Jeff Cook With fall planting upon us, the southeastern strawberry season is underway. In this part of the country, strawberry plants are set annually from September to November with fruit ripening from April to June. From the time the plants arrive on the farm in the fall through harvest time in spring, growers must thoroughly inspect …
Research to Reduce Pepper Diseases; Boost Production
(UF/IFAS) — Pepper is popular. Consumers eat all kinds, including jalapenos, habaneros, chilis and more. Because people eat so much of the fruit, peppers are worth hundreds of millions of dollars a year to the Florida and national economies. In fact, in 2018, bell and chili peppers alone were a $181 million-a-year industry in Florida and a $628 million-a-year industry …
Researching New Fertilizer Technologies in North Florida
By Karla Arboleda To find efficiency in reducing nitrogen levels in soil, researchers at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) are working with several technologies. Bob Hochmuth, a UF/IFAS Extension agent at the North Florida Research and Education Center – Suwannee Valley (NFREC-SV), coordinates controlled-release fertilizer research. The work aims to improve the functionality of …
Alicia Adler Joins NABC, USHBC as Vice President
Resume Includes Securing Over $10 Million in Grant Funds for Specialty Crops (NABC) — Alicia Adler, an experienced grant writing and marketing executive who’s secured over $10 million in state and federal grant funds for U.S. specialty crops, has joined the North American Blueberry Council (NABC) and the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) as vice president. Adler brings a wealth …
Understanding Disease Through Art
By Madeline Dowling and Guido Schnabel What comes to mind when you think of football season? Is it the excitement of cheering on your favorite team? Good times with family and friends? Incredible food? For many people, football season is a wonderful time of the year. However, amid the excitement, it’s easy to forget how much effort each team invests …
Sneak Peek: November VSCNews Magazine
The November issue of VSCNews magazine is all about water management issues. Andrea Albertin and Mark Lusk, both with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), discuss plans in the works to improve Florida’s water quality. The authors look at Florida’s current water issues, how septic tanks may be a part of the problem and ways …
Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs Getting Ready for Winter
By Karla Arboleda As the weather cools down, brown marmorated stink bugs (BMSBs) in the deep Southeast are seeking to stay in dry areas away from crops. BMSBs will typically affect peaches, apples, tomatoes, peppers, corn and soybeans throughout North Carolina and South Carolina, but not for much longer. According to Jim Walgenbach, an Extension entomologist at North Carolina State …
Commerce Department Announces Final Dumping Margin of 21% on Mexican Tomato Imports
International Trade Commission will now Evaluate Injury to U.S. Growers Washington, D.C. (FTE-October 22, 2019) — The U.S. Department of Commerce has announced a final dumping margin of 21 percent in the resumed antidumping investigation of Mexican tomatoes. This result comes as no surprise to American tomato farmers who have seen domestic production decline significantly in the face of unfairly traded …
Updating North Carolina Research Stations With New Technology
By Karla Arboleda North Carolina State University (NC State) and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services are working to update research stations with new technology. Together, the two institutions will improve technology in 18 research stations across the state. Jason Ward, an assistant professor in the biological and agricultural engineering department at NC State, talked about the …
PACA Can Help Protect Your Company
By Travis Hubbs Since its foundation in 1930, the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) has been promoting fair trade practices in the fresh and frozen fruit and vegetable industry. In enforcing a code of fair business practices, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) resolved approximately 3,400 PACA claims involving more than $58 million in the past three years alone. PACA …