The July issue of Specialty Crop Industry Magazine highlights WP Rawl, a leading vegetable business in South Carolina that has thrived for nearly 100 years. Ashley Rawl, a third-generation family member and vice president of sales, marketing and product development, talks about the secret to his company’s success. It has had a willingness to adapt to the changing economic climate. …
Protect Your Production
By Clint Thompson Florida’s climate allows growers to produce more than 300 different specialty crops. Unfortunately, that same environment can lead to various factors which can negatively impact production every year. Producers should prepare for the possibility every season that their crop could be impacted by weather events like hurricanes or tornadoes, as well as invasive species, plant diseases and …
UGA Entomologist: Insect Pressure is Light
By Clint Thompson Insect pests are currently not a problem for specialty crop producers. That’s good news for growers trying to navigate vegetable production in South Georgia, North Florida and South Alabama. And that was before last week’s heavy rain events that flooded parts of the Southeast region. Stormy Sparks, University of Georgia (UGA) Extension vegetable entomologist, discussed what producers …
The 2023 Citrus Achievement Award Winner Glenn Beck Confident in the Future
By Frank Giles It has been tough to keep an optimistic attitude as HLB spread through Florida citrus groves and took production down to historic lows. Mix in recent weather disasters and being positive is even more challenging. But the 2023 Citrus Achievement Award winner, Glenn Beck, has always believed there will come a day when HLB is finally defeated …
Georgia Watermelon Producer: Expected Gap for Volume
By Clint Thompson Georgia’s delayed start to the watermelon season means an expected gap could hit the market this week in the Southeast. Greg Leger, owner of Leger & Son, Inc, in Cordele, Georgia, said he will not begin harvesting until next week, which is in line with the scenario most growers are facing. “I’m looking at the (June) 12th …
Lipman Family Farms Celebrates 75 Years
By Clint Thompson A company that has remained sustainable and profitable for 75 years in the current economic climate is a modern-day success story. PRIORITIZING PEOPLEThe secret to Lipman Family Farms’ success is it prioritizes people. This includes its large workforce as well as the desires of consumers who purchase its various specialty crops every day. This prioritization allows Lipman …
Blueberry Management Options for June
Florida blueberry producers just completed their harvests for the 2023 season. But plans are already being made for the ’24 crop. Disease and pest management are key to a successful season next year. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences scientists encourage growers to scout for algal stem blotch. If farmers observe the disease, they should prune out …
Gowan Seed Company
Red Garnet This triploid watermelon is a Gowan exclusive! It weighs 16-20 pounds and matures in 83 to 84 days. It has a preferred dark-green crimson stripe exterior, deep-red interior and a strong rind proven to be a commercial success for 45-count bin shipping. It is a prolific yielder! IR: Fon: 0, 1 Redemption XR This 80-day bicolor Sh2 sweet …
FFVA Applauds Proposed House Bill Addressing Immigration Reform
A new bill introduced last week by members of the U.S. House of Representatives addresses ag labor reform that will impact specialty crop producers in the Southeast. U.S. Representatives Veronica Escobar (D-TX) and Maria Salazar (R-FL) introduced the Dignity Act, a bipartisan immigration reform bill that aims to fix the immigration system. It will secure the border, mandate E-Verify nationwide …
Protect Your Groves From Citrus Leafminer
Healthy citrus fruit in FL. The citrus leafminer is a small, hard-to-detect pest that hides during the day and comes out at night to lay its eggs. Though this pest is small, it’s been known to cause severe damage to FL citrus crops. Having a broad-spectrum insecticide at your fingertips could go a long way in protecting your crops. While …