Miami, FL — U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) delivered testimony during a virtual hearing on seasonal and perishable produce organized by U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. The virtual hearing is the first of two to discuss foreign trade practices that are harming American growers, especially Florida farmers, …
Hemp growers: Be on the Lookout for Nematodes
By Johan Desaeger Florida’s subtropical climate offers unique opportunities to grow crops outside of the typical growing season of other states. Such is the case for strawberries and many vegetables. There are high expectations that hemp could be another such crop, although nematodes may have something to say about that. Plant-parasitic nematodes, such as root-knot and sting nematodes, can cause …
Howler Fungicide Provides Vegetable Growers with Multiple Modes of Action
Howler fungicide from AgBiome Innovations is a product that harnesses the power of the plant microbiome to create a fungicide with multiple modes of action. It provides preventive, long-lasting activity on a broad spectrum of soilborne and foliar diseases and does the job for a number of specialty crops. For Florida and South Georgia growers specifically, it’s great for strawberries, …
Citrus Growers Benefit from New Standard of Town Hall Meetings
If anything, going virtual has afforded flexibility in the field. So, what other advantages are there?
UF/IFAS to Host Vegetable Growers Meeting
The University of Florida/IFAS will host a vegetable growers meeting on Aug. 20 from 10 a.m. to noon. It will be a virtual meeting and feature talks from Extension agents and specialists. Extension agent Craig Fey will discuss fundamentals of weed management and focus on principles such as exclusion, prevention, cultural and chemical strategies. UF/IFAS weed scientist Ramdas Kanissery will …
Florida Citrus Growers Have New Tool to Fight Greening
By: Ruth Borger, 517-803-7631, rborger@ufl.edu LAKE ALFRED, Fla. — If information is power, Florida citrus growers have a new asset in their fight against citrus greening disease which has been impacting the state’s multi-billion dollar citrus industry. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences statewide citrus program launched a major revision of a website, providing instant access …
UF/IFAS Experts Outline Hurricane Prep, Recovery for Citrus Growers
By: Brad Buck, 813-757-2224 (office); 352-875-2641 (cell); bradbuck@ufl.edu Like all farmers, Florida’s citrus producers must prepare for the worst before a hurricane strikes. That’s why Fernando Alferez co-wrote a manual that gives growers tips on how to get their citrus farm ready for – and recover from — the potentially dangerous storms. It’s not just coastal counties, where the storms …
FMC Launches Avaunt eVo Insect Control Formulation to Tackle Key Pests Affecting Fruit, Vegetable Growers
Advanced formulation of the only Group 22 insecticide for agricultural use delivers improved control and performance consistency. PHILADELPHIA, July 14, 2020 – FMC has just released and made available for immediate use a new insecticide formulation, Avaunt eVo insect control, in a range of crops including brassicas, pome and stone fruits, cucurbits, leafy vegetables, low-growing berries and dried and succulent …
USDA CFAP Revision “Big Deal” For Blueberry Growers
By Clint Thompson Thursday was a win for blueberry farmers, especially in Georgia. The crop was one of seven currently eligible commodities to be added to Category 1 of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program by the United States Department of Agriculture. According to the USDA press release, the USDA found these commodities had a 5% or greater price decline between …
Blueberry Growers Qualify for CFAP Category 1 Payments
The USDA announced today that blueberry growers are now eligible for Category 1 Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) payments. Based on the USDA’s original assessment of the impact of coronavirus on the industry, blueberries were eligible only for Categories 2 and 3 for CFAP relief payments. USDA’s original market analysis had determined that blueberries did not demonstrate a 5% decline …