The Florida-Georgia water war has made it to the nation’s highest court and back multiple times due to a dispute about water conservation. The water war involves the Chattahoochee and Flint rivers. These rivers begin in Georgia, then join to form the Apalachicola River, which is near the Florida border and flows into the Apalachicola Bay. Florida began the war by requesting limitations on …
FFVA’s Stuart to Trade Commission: Florida Growers Still Suffering
Cheap Mexican imports ‘decimate’ U.S. prices and market share WASHINGTON, D.C. — Farmers in Florida will continue to go out of business if the U.S. government fails to provide critical trade relief to combat cheap Mexican produce imports flooding the market, Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association CEO Mike Stuart told members of the International Trade Commission on Thursday. Stuart’s testimony …
Hurricane-Ravaged Florida Farmers Wonder Who’s Listening
By Gary Cooper While much of mainstream news seems to be stuck on mid-term campaign coverage, thousands of rural farm families severely impacted by Hurricane Michael are starting to wonder if their words are even being heard. Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam hosted an agricultural listening session late Tuesday afternoon in Blountstown that attracted several hundred family farmers to share …
Southeastern Agriculture Well Represented at PMA Fresh Summit
The Produce Marketing Association’s (PMA) annual Fresh Summit took place Oct. 17-19 in Orlando, Florida. Every year, this huge summit brings members of the global produce and floral industries together to make connections and mingle with fellow industry professionals. Every year, southeastern agriculture has a huge presence at the summit, most notably in the Fresh from Florida and Georgia Grown …
Gibberllic Acid Tested on Southern Highbush Blueberries
By Breanna Kendrick Gibberellic acid (GA) is a plant growth regulator that is used to increase fruit size and quality. Researchers know that it works on rabbiteye blueberries recovering from freeze damage when flower parts were injured and weren’t able to be pollinated. Juanita Popenoe is a multi-county fruit production agent for the University of Florida for Marion, Orange and …
Florida and Georgia Renew ‘Water Wars’
Florida and Georgia have renewed their fight over the impact of Georgia’s water consumption on the Apalachicola River system. After the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in late June that Florida be given another chance to prove its case that Georgia’s overconsumption of water is damaging the Apalachicola region, the states filed a joint legal pleading this week before a federal …
Support for House Trade Bill to Protect Florida Growers
The Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association wholeheartedly supports the Agriculture Trade Improvement Act of 2018 introduced by U.S. Reps. Carlos Curbelo (District 26) and Al Lawson Jr. (District 8) on Tuesday. The Agricultural Trade Improvement Act of 2018 would amend the Tariff Act of 1930 and allow American specialty crop growers to request the imposition of antidumping or countervailing duties. …
Perdue on Lack of Protection for Southeastern Specialty Crop Growers in USMCA
It was announced on Sept. 30 that the United States, Mexico and Canada reached a new deal to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The deal will be called the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). NAFTA was a trade agreement between the United States, Canada and Mexico that was made in 1994 under the Clinton administration. The idea for …
Commissioner Putnam Announces 2019 Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame Honorees
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam and the Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame Foundation announced the Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame inductees for 2019. The induction ceremony will be held at the Florida State Fair’s Agricultural Hall of Fame Banquet on Feb. 12, 2019. More information is available FloridaAgHallofFame.org. “Agriculture is Florida’s oldest industry, and it continues to support …
Higher Prices Save Florida Watermelon Season
By Breanna Kendrick The 2018 Florida watermelon season posed challenges for most growers that resulted in lower yields and higher fruit prices. Bob Hochmuth, regional specialized Extension agent for vegetable crops at the University of Florida (UF) Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences North Florida Research and Education Center in Suwannee Valley discussed Florida’s 2018 watermelon season. He addressed the …















