On June 16, the Florida Tomato Exchange filed a request with the U.S. Department of Commerce to terminate the 2019 tomato suspension agreement because it has failed to stop unfairly traded Mexican tomatoes from destroying the U.S. tomato industry. Since 1996, five different suspension agreements have tried to stop the unfair trade practices used by Mexican tomato exporters, but each …
Vegetable Farmer: SB 1718 is Going to be Very Impactful in South Florida
By Clint Thompson As if finding an adequate labor force wasn’t hard enough for specialty crop producers in Florida, it will likely become even more challenging starting July 1. When Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed SB 1718, it marked a significant crackdown on illegal immigration in the state. But it could also devastate many of the state’s farming operations in …
Blueberry Quality, Quantity High in Most of Florida
By Clint Thompson Blueberry harvests are winding down across Florida. Quality and quantity were high in certain fields, though others observed negative impacts from Hurricane Ian last September. Doug Phillips, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) blueberry Extension coordinator, discussed the state of harvests across Florida this year. “Quality wise for sure, it’s been a good …
Pecan Production: Fears of Oversupply on Minds of Growers
By Clint Thompson A 200-million pound production season is in the near future for Georgia’s pecan producers. That’s a belief shared by University of Georgia Cooperative Extension pecan specialist Lenny Wells. It’s also a concern on the minds of growers in the Southeast. If the leading pecan-producing state expands that much in the next few years, due to more trees …
What to Expect? Pecan Beginners Class Scheduled for March 28
By Clint Thompson Interest in producing pecans in the Southeast has not waned; even with prices plummeting in recent years and input costs skyrocketing. Growers are still establishing orchards, and those interested in producing trees are signing up for the pecan beginner’s class, says Lenny Wells, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension pecan specialist. “We still have a fair amount of …
The Villages Grown Takes Local to the Next Level
By Frank Giles It is often said that real estate is all about location, location, location. The same can be said for the concept of local food systems. Farms being near the population they serve is a key element to success. There might be no better example of a prime location to establish a farm than The Villages in Central …
Diversification: Secret to Specialty Crop Success
By Clint Thompson Drew Echols attributes his success to not putting all of his eggs in one basket. The fifth-generation farmer who co-owns production on more than 600 acres in northeast Georgia is not afraid to adjust his farming practices to fit the current needs of specialty crop production. INCREASING ACRES, CROPS AND MARKETS“I looked at a lot of these …
India’s Reduction of Pecan Tariffs a ‘Huge Deal’ for Producers
By Clint Thompson India’s reduced tariffs on U.S. pecan exports is a huge win for producers in the Southeast. “It’s a huge deal. It’s going to potentially open up another huge market that we desperately need. It may take a little while to get it going, but the first hurdle has been cleared any way,” says Lenny Wells, University of …
Grower Associations Gearing Up for Farm Bill
By Clint Thompson What the future of agriculture looks like could be shaped by how discussions materialize this year in preparation for the 2023 farm bill. The farm bill’s passage will have lasting ramifications for Southeast specialty crop producers who hope to remain sustainable for the foreseeable future. For one specialty crop organization, the bill’s inclusion or exclusion of language …
U.S. Trade Representative Acknowledges Problem With Rising Imports
By Clint Thompson The U.S. trade representative (USTR) promised specialty crop producers help but not an investigation into imports of Mexican produce. For one industry leader, that is at least an acknowledgement that Southeast fruit and vegetable producers are suffering from unfair trade practices. “The fact that they’ve agreed to set up a stakeholder committee is an acknowledgment that they …