By Ernie Neff A Dec. 16 discussion of local agricultural issues with a focus on best management practices (BMPs) attracted more than 50 attendees to Immokalee. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Southwest Florida Research and Education Center hosted the event. Professor and center director Kelly Morgan summarizes the discussions, which he says included “some …
Certified Seed for Hemp Explained
By Ernie Neff Many farmers looking at hemp as a potential alternative crop in Florida have been confused by the requirement that the hemp come from certified seed. Adam Elend, CEO of Florigrown, LLC, explains what certified seed is and is not. “The idea of certified seed is creating a lot of consternation among farmers,” Elend says. “I think that …
New Precision Ag Facility Adds to UF/IFAS Arsenal to Fight Pests, Diseases
(UF/IFAS) — In a new, 8,500-square-foot building at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, weed scientist Nathan Boyd uses images of weeds to train computers to identify them. Those pictures can be used to help growers know when, where and how to control pests. Using this form of precision …
Research Addressing Hemp Production Challenges
Future growers of industrial hemp in Florida will have the advantage of research being conducted now by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services expects Florida farmers will be allowed to legally plant industrial hemp in 2020. Zach Brym, agronomist at the Tropical Research and Education Center in …
Root-Knot Nematode Update
“Root-knot nematode is really our number one nematode problem in Florida,” nematologist Johan Desaeger said at Florida Ag Expo in November. Desaeger is a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center. “It’s the most widespread nematode we have in Florida, and the most damaging,” he added. Florida has at …
Interest in UF/IFAS Hops Experiment Grows
(UF/IFAS) — Tampa Bay microbreweries have a hankering for hops, and some see a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) experimental farm as a source for the crop that will help quench their customers’ thirsts. Several Tampa Bay area breweries have come to the UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC) to pick up hops …
Bringing Better Broccoli to the East Coast
By Karla Arboleda While the West Coast is known as the main U.S. region for broccoli production, the East Coast may soon be on its heels, thanks to the Eastern Broccoli Project. Thomas Björkman is a professor of vegetable physiology at Cornell University and project director of the Eastern Broccoli Project. He leads a group of collaborators, from Maine to Florida, …
Sneak Peek: December VSCNews Magazine
In the December issue, VSCNews magazine is ending the year with new ideas for growers in the deep Southeast. Broccoli is a staple vegetable in grocery stores across the county, but most of the crop is produced on the West Coast. Researchers involved in the Eastern Broccoli Project are working to change that. From Maine to Florida, vegetable specialists are …
Hemp Production Research Discussed
By Ernie Neff Brian Pearson, a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences assistant professor, discusses diverse research into production practices for the future growth of industrial hemp in Florida. He addresses fertilization, irrigation, pests and the light needs of the plant. Pearson works at the Mid-Florida Research and Education Center in Apopka. Pearson says there is “a …
New Bed Design Can Save Growers Money
(UF/IFAS) — From Florida to Virginia, farmers are enjoying the fruits of Sanjay Shukla’s labor. His compact-bed geometry system allows growers to plant crops in tall soil beds, and the result is thousands of dollars in annual savings. New research by Shukla and his team shows that with savings of up to $102,000 per crop, annually, for a typical, 250-acre …