By Clint Thompson Southeast vegetable and specialty crops are engaged in a long-term struggle against seasonal imports. While imports from countries like Mexico don’t appear to be dissipating anytime soon, growers must find ways to cut costs to remain sustainable. One tool in the production toolbox is mechanization. If machines can be developed that can perform required tasks like harvesting, …
FFVA Supports Reintroduction of The Defending Domestic Produce Production Act
The Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association (FFVA) applauded The Defending Domestic Produce Production Act, which was reintroduced in the U.S. Senate on Wednesday as S. 2080 by Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Rick Scott (R-FL). The bill was reintroduced in the U.S. House as H.R. 3926 by Representatives Vern Buchanan (R-FL) and Al Lawson (D-FL). The bill includes 32 co-sponsors …
Fusarium Wilt: Disease Worse This Year Amid Cooler Spring
By Clint Thompson It wasn’t ideal conditions for most watermelon diseases this spring. But one pathogen preferred the cool temperatures. Fusarium wilt, the disease that can cause plant death if the infection is severe enough, has been spotted throughout Florida and in the South Georgia production region, said Josh Freeman, University of Florida/IFAS Associate Professor in Horticultural Science. The cooler …
Watermelon Prices Just Average Amid Rising Input Costs
By Clint Thompson The watermelon prices that were good, maybe, 10 years ago are not so much in the current economic climate. Branford Florida watermelon producer Laura Land estimated that current prices are approximately 18 to 20 cents per pound for 45-count seedless; roughly $126 per bin. However, the same input expenses that cost Southeast vegetable producers all spring are …
Snap Bean Update: Imports on the Rise
It is the peak season for snap beans in the U.S. Two Southeastern states continue to lead the country in domestic production. According to USDA Economic Research Service, the 2017 Census of Agriculture reported Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, California and Texas as the leading fresh-market snap bean states. Florida is the primary domestic supplier from November to April, with additional volume …
Say Hello to the Newest Citrus Achievement Award Winner
See why Larry Black says grower expertise and scientific advancement will eventually win the day over HLB.
Cutleaf Evening Primrose Management in Vegetable Production
By Ruby Tiwari and Ramdas Kanissery Cutleaf evening primrose (Oenothera laciniata) is an annual weed (or sometimes a biennial) commonly found throughout vegetable farms in Florida. This weed got its name due to the timing of its flower opening. It tends to close its flowers during the day but opens them during evening or nighttime. Cutleaf evening primrose is a …
Sneak Peek: June 2021 VSCNews Magazine
By Ashley Robinson The June issue of VSCNews Magazine will be your go-to guide for crop health. Carrots are target of plant-parasitic nematodes. The hidden enemy can create serious issues and limit carrot production in the United States. Abolfazl Hajihassani, assistant professor of nematology at the University of Georgia (UGA) in Tifton, shares the latest tips to control nematodes in …
New Blueberry Cultivar Selection Tool
A new University of Florida (UF)/IFAS tool can help blueberry producers decide what cultivars are best for their farming operation. The UF/IFAS blueberry breeding program has developed a new cultivar module of the UF/IFAS Blueberry Growers Guide, available for download at: iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/uf-blueberry-growers-guide/id1535258711 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=co.austn.ss.blueberry The app includes a scouting guide that can help farmers scout their fields for diseases, …
Georgia Farmer: Every Week’s a Different Challenge
By Clint Thompson The hits just keep on coming for vegetable and specialty crop producers across the Southeast. If it’s not fuel prices skyrocketing, it’s a pallet shortage sweeping across the country. If it’s not high labor costs or having enough labor availability, it’s having to contend with increased imports. “Every week’s a different challenge, it seems like, something; either …
