By Clint Thompson Farmers need to beef up their security amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to Gene McAvoy, Associate Director for Stakeholder Relations for the University of Florida IFAS Southwest Florida Research and Education Center. As unemployment continues to skyrocket across the country, this often leads to an increase in theft instances. McAvoy said farmers are vulnerable right now since …
Citrus Farmer: Crop not a Cure-All but Definitely Money-Making Opportunity
By Clint Thompson A farmer in north Florida is excited about the potential of citrus in the South Georgia-North Florida region. Kim Jones, who owns a citrus packing facility in Monticello, Florida and is part-owner of a similar facility that will soon open in Tifton, Georgia, believes citrus will be the alternative crop producers are looking for to stabilize their …
Managing Mite Populations in Blueberries
By Ashley Robinson Several mite species have been reported as pests of Florida blueberries. According to Oscar Liburd, professor of entomology at the University of Florida (UF), southern red mites and false spider mites are especially high on growers’ radars this year. SOUTHERN RED MITES Currently, there is little known about the management of southern red mites in southern …
Fruit and Vegetable Producers Already Feeling Effects of Pandemic
By Clint Thompson President Trump signed the $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES) into law on Friday to help provide some financial relief to Americans and jumpstart the economy amid the coronavirus pandemic. Monetary help may be on the way for fruit and vegetable growers in the Southeast, but the effects of the pandemic have already …
COVID-19 Update for Growers and Packers
(UF/IFAS) — The CDC, FDA and USDA all agree “Currently, there is no evidence of food or food packaging being associated with transmission of COVID-19”, including imported foods and materials. FDA has issued guidance that if an employee tests positive for COVID-19 they “do not anticipate that food products would need to be recalled or be withdrawn from the market”. Citrus growers, harvesters, packers, …
Sneak Peek: April 2020 VSCNews Magazine
By Ashley Robinson The April issue of VSCNews magazine is packed with information for both conventional and organic growers. Asian vegetables grow well in Florida and have the potential for high value in the market. As interest in these crops increases throughout the state, an article written by a group of researchers at the University of Florida (UF) – Mary …
Using Steam for Weed Management
By Ramdas Kanissery and Yiannis Ampatzidis Weeds are a significant problem in horticultural production and must be controlled to maintain good crop yield. Concerns related to non-judicious use of herbicides, which include ground and surface water contamination and pesticide residues in food, have sparked public awareness and restrictions on herbicide use. For these reasons, alternative and integrated systems for weed …
Determining What It Will Take to Improve Water Resources
By Ashley Robinson Increased adoption of best management practices (BMPs) by agricultural producers is a potential tool for improving water resource conditions. However, the economic feasibility of this approach is largely unknown in watersheds connected to the Florida aquifer. The University of Florida (UF) has joined three other Southeastern universities in research efforts to help ensure water for agricultural production …
Tools for Tomato Weed Management
By Nathan Boyd Weed management programs for plasticulture tomato production in the southeastern United States typically rely on an array of tools to achieve satisfactory weed control. This may include tools such as fumigants, plastic mulches, pre-emergence herbicides, post-emergence herbicides and hand weeding. THE CULPRITS Purple and yellow nutsedge can be especially problematic due to their ability to puncture the …
Muscadine Pruning: Mechanical vs. Hand
By Clint Thompson Pruning muscadine vines is a chore that growers are tackling now during the dormant period. With mechanical pruning and hand pruning both options, growers must make economically based decisions on how to proceed. “Sometimes mechanical pruning is the only option when hand pruning cannot be completed on larger acreages,” said Cain Hickey, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension …