Specialty Crop Grower Magazine: Chlorpyrifos Ban to Begin

Clint ThompsonSpecialty Crop Grower Magazine

By Frank Giles and Clint Thompson Fruit and vegetable growers who use chlorpyrifos are reminded that the insecticide can only be applied to food crops until June 30, after which continued use will be banned. Grower Guidance University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers advise producers that the products that contain chlorpyrifos are “unlikely to be …

Rainy Impact: Expect Disease Pressure Increase in North Florida Watermelons

Clint ThompsonFlorida

By Clint Thompson A ‘significant increase’ in watermelon diseases is expected across the Suwanee Valley region of North Florida following rainfall last weekend. Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Regional Specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, Florida, reported in his weekly email that reports over gummy stem blight and downy mildew should spike after rainfall …

Anthracnose on Rise in Peppers

Clint ThompsonGeorgia

By Clint Thompson Anthracnose in pepper is the basis for research collaboration between the University of Georgia and Cornell University. Incidences of the disease have increased in pepper in recent years, sparking concern of a new species or species complex within the agricultural communities in both Georgia and New York. Because of the lack of treatment methods available to organic …

Precision Ag Conference: We’ve Got to Do More With Less

Clint ThompsonGeorgia

By Clint Thompson Technological innovations in agriculture were the focus of this year’s Integrative Precision Agricultural Conference. It is likely the key to survival for most farmers, but especially specialty crop producers, explains Chris Butts, executive director of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA). “Technology has the potential to be the solution to level the playing field for …

Autonomous Harvesters Key to Florida Strawberry Survival

Clint ThompsonFlorida

By Clint Thompson Autonomous harvesters are the future of Florida strawberry production. They have to be. Labor costs are too high, prohibitively so, for Florida growers to continue at the current rate. It is why industry leaders are advocating for time and resources to be devoted to the development of automatic harvesters. “To be honest, if there isn’t an autonomous …

Registration

Registration Now Open for the 2025 Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo

Dan CooperAgribusiness, Citrus, Citrus and Specialty Crop Expo, Events, Specialty Crops

Registration is now open for the highly anticipated 2025 Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo. The event takes place Aug. 20–21at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa. Growers and industry professionals are invited to sign up now for complimentary registration to this two-day event filled with education, networking and innovation. Hosted by AgNet Media, the Expo is Florida’s premier event for …

florida tomato

Florida Tomato Field Day Scheduled for May 15

Clint ThompsonFlorida

Florida tomato growers should mark their calendars for the Florida Tomato Field Day, scheduled for Thursday, May 15 at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center in Wimauma, Florida. Multiple scientists from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, including entomologist Hugh Smith, tomato breeder Jessica Chitwood-Brown, plant pathologist Gary Vallad, weed scientist Nathan Boyd, horticulturalist Shinsuke …

tree of the future

Citrus Tree of the Future Still Years Away

Dan CooperCRDF, HLB Management

Not surprisingly, the focus of the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) centers on providing growers with help to overcome huanglongbing (HLB) disease. CRDF President Morgan McKenna Porter believes that help will best come with the development of the “tree of the future.” She says that tree does not have to be completely resistant to citrus greening. As long as …

Florida Blueberry Summer Grower Meetings Scheduled for July

Clint ThompsonFlorida

By Clint Thompson Florida blueberry growers can mark their calendars for this summer’s grower meetings, set for three dates and locations in July. This summer’s meetings will be held on Tuesday, July 8, at the Polk County Extension Office in Bartow, Florida; Thursday, July 10, at the Hardee County Extension Office in Wauchula, Florida; and Thursday, July 17, at the …