(USDA/RMA) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) announced a new crop insurance option for hemp growers in select counties of 21 states in 2020. The pilot insurance program will provide Actual Production History (APH) coverage under 508(h) Multi-Peril Crop Insurance (MPCI) for eligible producers in certain counties in Alabama, California, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, …
Grafted Watermelon Seedlings Could Benefit Growers
By Ashley Robinson Researchers at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences are studying grafted watermelon seedlings because of the advantages they can provide to growers. The grafted seedlings, an intentional fusion of plant parts, are resistant to fusarium wilt and tolerant to cold temperatures. “This is kind of an additional tool to use if you do …
BMPs Discussion Attracts Growers
By Ernie Neff A Dec. 16 discussion of local agricultural issues with a focus on best management practices (BMPs) attracted more than 50 attendees to Immokalee. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Southwest Florida Research and Education Center hosted the event. Professor and center director Kelly Morgan summarizes the discussions, which he says included “some …
Helping Specialty Crop Growers Reduce, Remediate and Recycle Water
By Sarah A. White Water is necessary for growing plants. This simple statement says it all but doesn’t begin to address the complexities of water decisions growers face today. Some questions are common, regardless of where your operation is located: How much water do my plants need? How does water quality affect plant growth? How much water do I need …
Pumpkin, Calabaza Breeding Program Set to Carve Out New Niche Market for Growers
(UF/IFAS) — Peanuts cartoonist Charles M. Shultz yielded popularity to an almighty pumpkin in the 1966 animated TV Special “It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown.” Today, pumpkin popularity for holiday decor, healthy snacking, and scrumptious recipes during fall and winter months has given rise to innovative research led by Geoffrey Meru, assistant professor of vegetable breeding, genetics and genomics at …
ITC Affirms That Mexican Dumping Threatens U.S. Tomato Growers
(FTE) — In a unanimous decision, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) made an affirmative determination that dumped Mexican tomato imports threaten the U.S. industry with material injury. This determination comes on the heels of an announcement last month by the U.S. Department of Commerce, which found that Mexican tomatoes had been dumped in the U.S. market at an average …
New Bed Design Can Save Growers Money
(UF/IFAS) — From Florida to Virginia, farmers are enjoying the fruits of Sanjay Shukla’s labor. His compact-bed geometry system allows growers to plant crops in tall soil beds, and the result is thousands of dollars in annual savings. New research by Shukla and his team shows that with savings of up to $102,000 per crop, annually, for a typical, 250-acre …
Florida Blueberry Growers Association Updates
By Karla Arboleda On Oct. 25, the Florida Blueberry Growers Association (FBGA) hosted its annual short course and trade show. Researchers and growers joined the FBGA in sharing blueberry industry news. HALL OF FAME In addition to hosting a platform for updates in the Florida blueberry industry, the FBGA announced the first members of the new Florida Blueberry Hall of …
Growers Should Manage Tomato Bacterial Spot While Seedlings Are in Transplant Facilities
New findings from University of Florida scientists could help tomato growers nationwide in their battle against a damaging disease. With 37,000 acres, Florida’s tomato industry is a $520 million-a-year crop, so it’s critical to find sources of diseases so growers can avoid or treat them to sustain their yields. But a bacterium called Xanthomonas can cause bacterial spot in tomatoes, …
Strawberry Advisory System Helps Growers Cut Costs
Protecting crops from pathogens is always top-of-mind for growers, but crop protection products can quickly burn a big hole in a grower’s wallet. A researcher-developed strawberry advisory system aims to keep that from happening, while still ensuring the crop gets the care it needs. According to Adrian Zuniga, a doctoral student in Natalia Peres’ lab at the University of Florida, …