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Below you'll see everything we could locate for your search of “South Florida”
By Clint Thompson Watermelon plantings are starting earlier and earlier in the Suwanee Valley Region of North Florida. That’s concerning to Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Regional Specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, Florida, though he understands why producers are putting plants in the ground at the end of February. “These watermelon farmers, …
The Tri-State Fruit and Vegetable Conference is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 28 at the Jackson County Extension Peanut Hall Auditorium in Marianna, Florida. That means fruit and vegetable producers from the Florida Panhandle, South Alabama and South Georgia are invited to attend. The meeting will begin with registration at 7:15 a.m. (CST), with the conference slated to begin at 8 …
Regular registration remains open for those interested in attending this year’s Alabama Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (AFVGA) Annual Conference and Trade Show. This year’s event will be held on Feb. 5-7 at The Lodge at Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Early bird registration ended on Jan. 1, but regular registration is currently underway and will continue until …
By Clint Thompson Disaster relief assistance included in the American Relief Act, 2025, will not totally compensate for the losses specialty crop producers experienced this year related to hurricane damage. But the $21 billion set aside for farmers will help, especially those in the Southeast that suffered through Hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton. Bob Redding, who works for the Redding …
The cover story of the January issue of Specialty Crop Grower Magazine focuses on citrus greening disease (also known as huanglongbing or HLB) in Florida. This year marks the 20th anniversary the disease has devastated the citrus industry in Florida. The state’s output of citrus has plummeted by nearly 90%. The story highlights Southern Gardens Citrus and outlines how the …
By Clint Thompson Disaster relief assistance took too long for Southeast growers impacted by Hurricane Michael in 2018. Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) ensured his farmers that history would not repeat itself following Hurricane Helene, which moved through the region on Sept. 26-27. Ossoff’s bipartisan push helped spur the Senate to pass legislation last weekend that included $21 billion agricultural disaster …
By Clint Thompson A preliminary report by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Economic Impact Analysis Program shows wide-ranging impact on vegetable crops from Hurricane Milton. Production losses estimated for vegetables, melons and potatoes suffered an economic impact of $52.5 million to $233.2 million in the affected area. Approximately 71.1% of vegetable, melon and potato …
By Kenneth Parker Committed Florida Strawberry Industry Back on Track For over a century, eastern Hillsborough County has been the cornerstone of the Florida strawberry industry. Today, the industry spans nearly 15,000 acres and contributes more than $1.5 billion to the local economy in eastern Hillsborough alone. The industry is composed of 65 farm families, many of whom have been …
By Clint Thompson Strawberry plantings had not even begun this fall when alarm bells were ringing about the potential impact of Neopestalotiopsis disease in this year’s crop. While the disease has a history in Southeast strawberry fields dating back to 2018, the concern this year stemmed from its presence in plug plants at nursery sources in Canada. It prompted Phil …
By Clint Thompson The International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) remains committed to “fighting for fresh.” IFPA serves as a strong advocate for farmers and strives to increase consumption of specialty crops around the world. Cathy Burns, chief executive officer of IFPA, shared her organization’s message during the Global Produce and Floral Show in Atlanta in mid-October. “We’re going to fight …
