By Gary Cooper Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam opened to a packed house in Blountstown, FL late Tuesday afternoon. Area residents participated in a listening session hosted by his department. Reviewing the latest information available regarding damage assessments, Putnam pointed out there has been devastating damage to many crops including some that have no established programs in place to help …
Alabama Extension Puts All Hands on Deck After Michael
Hurricane Michael blew through the Southeastern region in early October. Vegetable growers in Georgia are still suffering from sunburnt peppers, and Florida growers are facing up to 100 percent crop loss. In Alabama, cotton seemed to take the worst hit in the southeastern corner of the state. Hurricane Michael also devastated greenhouses, cucumbers, tomatoes and several Alabama Extension research plots. …
Panhandle Growers See Major Losses from Michael
By Breanna Kendrick Hurricane Michael hit the Florida Panhandle hard. Farmers across this region have lost some, if not all, of their crops. Josh Freeman, associate professor of horticultural sciences at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences North Florida Research and Education Center in Quincy, surveyed the area of Gadsden and Jackson counties for crop damages. …
Sneak Peek: November 2018 VSCNews Magazine
Get in the know on H2O with the November issue of VSCNews magazine. Water is a crucial aspect of agriculture in the Southeast, and the November magazine will give readers an update on ongoing water issues and a new irrigation technology. As the Florida population grows, water resources become scarcer, creating a challenge for the state’s agriculture industry. Rich Budell, …
Crop Diversification Considerations
By Breanna Kendrick There is a big push on nutrition in our nation right now, so it’s important that farmers are able to diversify to meet the demands of those seeking healthier diets. Wendy Mussoline, a University of Florida multi-county agriculture Extension agent for Flagler and Putnam counties, works with farmers who want to incorporate new crops into their production …
Making Connections at PMA Fresh Summit
The Produce Marketing Association’s (PMA) Fresh Summit took place Oct. 17–19 in Orlando, Florida. Every year, this huge summit brings the global produce and floral industries together to make connections and mingle with fellow industry professionals. Cathy Burns, CEO of PMA, says the Fresh Summit is the perfect occasion to begin a new year within the produce and floral industries. …
Hydrogels as Herbicide Carriers in Vegetable Plasticulture
By Ramdas Kanissery and Camille McAvoy Weed management is a fundamental step in the successful production of vegetable crops in Florida under commercial plasticulture production systems. Soil fumigation was one of the most successful means of reducing weed populations. None of the alternatives to methyl bromide have a broad spectrum of activity against weeds. This necessitates the need for a …
EAA Farmers, Inc. Issues Statement on Federal Authorization of EAA Reservoir
A statement from Danielle Alvarez, spokesperson for EAA Farmers, Inc., following the federal approval of the EAA reservoir: “Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) farm families are pleased that the EAA reservoir will be achieved in a way that will accomplish restoration goals while also protecting homegrown food supply. Restoration has been a tremendous success south of Lake Okeechobee and serves as proof that …
Labor Issues in the Specialty Crop Industry
By Zhengfei Guan Florida is a large supplier of fruits and vegetables in the United States. Major fruits and vegetables produced in Florida include citrus, strawberries, tomatoes, bell peppers, cantaloupes, watermelons, etc. The production and harvest of these crops are labor intensive. For example, University of Florida researchers estimate that harvesting 1 acre of oranges requires 50 hours. More than …
Has Farming Become a Political Whipping Boy?
By Gary Cooper Urban expansion is impacting agriculture throughout the Southeast. Florida appears to be the first state in this region to dramatically shift to a much more urban-thinking electorate. In light of this year’s primary elections, there are some points Florida agriculturists should be thinking about. I know many of you have been pondering some of this already, based …