A new report from Rabobank is tempering expectations for organic production as growth in the sector is beginning to slow. The six-page report “Organic Produce Premiums Under Pressure,” notes that organic food sales grew an average of ten percent per year between 2010 and 2016. However, the previous two years’ growth was only tracked at six percent. Some of the …
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 …
What the Citrus Sector Should Do to Increase Juice Demand
2019 Citrus Achievement Award winner Bob Behr says the industry needs to get more aggressive in telling its story to the masses.
Wildflowers Help Watermelon Pollinators
By Karla Arboleda To attract more watermelon pollinators, growers can use different types of wildflowers around their crops. That’s what Miriam Jenkins, a graduate of Clemson University’s Wildlife and Fisheries Biology program, determined from her recent study. For pollinator-dependent crops like watermelon, adding certain wildflowers to the surrounding landscape helps create a better area for pollinators to feed. Jenkins said …
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, …
Invasion Risk of Hemp Under Research
By Karla Arboleda While the road to hemp production is still under way, University of Florida (UF) researchers are analyzing the risk it poses for invasion. Researchers began digging deeper into what future hemp growers and consumers can look forward to through the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Industrial Hemp Pilot Program. Susan Canavan, a post-doctoral agronomy researcher …
‘It’s More Than Just Work’
University of Florida Extension Agent Gene McAvoy retires. If you ask any Florida grower if they know who Gene McAvoy is, they’ll probably reply with a smile and say “yes.” That is the kind of impact McAvoy has had in his 22-year run as an Extension agent in Hendry County, Florida. On July 31, McAvoy officially retired from the University …
Webinars to Focus on Food-Safety Crisis Communications
By Karla Arboleda The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA) and the United Fresh Produce Association have teamed up to host a webinar series on how producers can prepare to handle a food-safety crisis. The Crisis Communications Webinar Series hosted and led by several crisis management experts from Washington, D.C., will cover what aspects to consider when encountering events …
VSC Expo Presentations Now Available
The 2019 Vegetable & Specialty Crop (VSC) Expo saw great success as growers piled into the Lee Civic Center on Aug. 15–16 in North Fort Myers, Florida. Attendees experienced a dynamic trade show and seminar sessions tailored toward vegetable and specialty crop growers. The educational program, titled “Growing Stronger,” featured presentations on the latest research from the University of Florida …
Managing Sweet Corn Silk Flies
Silk flies are a major pest for South Florida sweet corn growers, but Julien Beuzelin, assistant professor at the University of Florida’s Everglades Research and Education Center, is working to lessen the threat these pests pose. He gave an overview of his silk fly research at the recent Vegetable & Specialty Crop (VSC) Expo. According to Beuzelin, there are three …