By Julien Beuzelin and Anna Mészáros Maggots feeding on silks, kernels and sometimes the cob of sweet corn ears harvested in Florida represent the greatest insect pest threat to the state’s fresh market sweet corn industry. These maggots are the larvae of three fly species known as corn silk flies. What to Look For Although the maggots of the three …
UF/IFAS Blueberry Scientist Named Horticulture Crop Breeding Endowed Chair
A veteran blueberry researcher has been named the University of Florida’s Horticulture Crop Breeding Endowed Chair, recognizing the royalties generated by the fruit varieties he’s developed for global farming and consumption. Patricio Muñoz, a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) associate professor of horticultural sciences, was recently awarded the professorship by J. Scott Angle, UF interim …
Immigration Reform Needed for Future of Farming
By Clint Thompson Immigration reform would go a long way in helping specialty crop producers secure an adequate and reliable workforce for the future. But too many sides with too many opinions have kept this important step from becoming a reality. Bob Redding, who works for the Redding Firm and serves as a lobbyist for agricultural groups in Washington, D.C., …
Nasty Nematodes Can Steal Yields if Not Monitored and Managed
By Frank Giles Estimates vary, but plant-parasitic nematodes take a huge bite out of global agricultural production and profits each year. An often-cited figure is that the many species of the pest cause about $125 billion worth of crop losses each year. That equates to roughly 5% of crop yield losses globally. There are about 20,000 described species of nematodes, …
UGA CAES Leads Effort to Combat Emerging Threat to Watermelon, Cucumber Production
Southeast cucurbit producers face numerous challenges in production, leading to decreased profitability and less produce on grocery shelves. Weeds, insect pests and plant diseases are prominent biotic threats. Among the plant diseases, one fungus — Colletotrichum spp., which causes anthracnose — is an emerging threat to watermelon and cucumber production along the east coast. “There is a huge threat from this particular …
Next Up: Merged Magazine and New Farm Bill
By Frank Giles This year has been a busy one for specialty crop growers and flew by as we flip the calendar to welcome 2024. The new year will surely be as busy and includes an exciting change here at AgNet Media. Introducing Specialty Crop Grower Beginning in January, AgNet Media will merge two of its magazines. Specialty Crop Industry …
Biden-Harris Administration Partners with Producers to Strength Ag Supply Chains
WASHINGTON – As part of the inaugural meeting of the White House Council on Supply Chain Resilience, President Biden and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced last week that the USDA is making investments that will strengthen American food and agriculture supply chains, expand markets for producers and lower food costs. “The Biden-Harris Administration is championing America’s …
Adapting to Change is Name of the Game in Ag
By Clint Thompson Adaptation equals survival in the specialty crop sector. If producers are not willing to adapt to the changing agricultural times, their livelihoods will be significantly impacted to the point of extinction. That mindset has elevated one Alabama grower’s business over the last 30 years. “If you cannot adapt in this business, you will not survive,” said John …
Celebrating 50 Years of Growth
Chemical Dynamics is a leading provider of crop nutrition solutions, focused on helping farmers grow specialty crops in Florida, the Southeast and across the US. Our company was founded in 1973 by W.B. “Hap” Carson in Plant City, FL and has been a family-owned and operated business for three generations. For the past 50 years, we have developed a diverse …
Blood Oranges May Be Option for Cold-Hardy Region
Blood oranges could provide citrus growers with another variety to grow in the cold-hardy citrus region. But further research is needed to verify its effectiveness in the Southeast, says Ali Sarkhosh, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) associate professor. “We harvested those fruit in Quincy at the North Florida Research and Education Center. We still don’t …



















