By Clint Thompson Anna Meszaros, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension commercial horticulture agent in West Palm Beach, Florida, implores vegetable farmers to scout diligently for Thrips (T.) parvispinus. The pest was most recently observed on cucumber, squash and zucchini for the first time last spring. Meszaros discussed the issue during Wednesday’s seminar session at the …
Report: OJ Consumption Lowers Dementia RiskÂ
A recent study finds that moderate consumption of up to one cup per day of natural juices, such as 100% orange juice (OJ), lowers the risk of dementia. Inversely, consuming up to two cups per day of artificially sweetened beverages, and more than two cups per day of sugar-sweetened beverages, increases the risk of dementia. The study was published by The American …
Building a Better Understanding of Ecosystem Services in Agriculture
By Frank Giles There has been a lot of media coverage and hype about the potential of agriculture to benefit from emerging carbon-capture markets in recent years. Various certifying agencies and groups have begun jockeying for position for their place in what could become a new segment in agriculture as the movement progresses. But there remains many questions about what …
Registration Ongoing for Tomato Conference in September
By Clint Thompson Registration is ongoing for the upcoming Florida Tomato Conference scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 13, at the LaBelle Civic Center in LaBelle, Florida. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Hendry County Extension Director Craig Frey highlighted what growers and industry specialists can expect at this year’s event. “Our goal is to make it useful …
Local Support Essential to Sustainability
By Clint Thompson Education remains the key component in convincing American consumers of the value of supporting local farmers. It is an approach that is currently being underutilized, according to one Florida vegetable producer. “Most farmers, including myself, get caught up with kicking the tires and trying to make things work. But at the end of the day, you have …
Seeking Innovation and New Opportunities in a Competitive Market
By Frank Giles Michael Schadler, executive vice president of the Florida Tomato Exchange, discusses how the season has progressed and ongoing trade issues with Mexico. How has the tomato season gone thus far for Florida growers? Schadler: The start of the season was tremendously challenging for much of the industry due to Hurricane Ian. The fall crop in parts of Central …
Looming Problem: Whiteflies a Potential Concern for Fall Vegetable Producers
By Clint Thompson Alabama vegetable producers already thinking about their crop for next fall should be ready to combat whiteflies, says Andre da Silva, Alabama Extension vegetable specialist. Da Silva focused on whitefly management during a recent webinar. He believes the environmental conditions will be conducive for populations to be high this summer. “We are probably going to have a …
Vegetable Seminars Added to Citrus Show
By Clint Thompson A new feature of the Florida Grower Citrus Show was a win for growers and leaders of the region’s vegetable crop industry. The annual event in Fort Pierce no longer focuses solely on Florida citrus production. The addition of vegetable-based seminars catered to specialty crop producers during the April 13 event. Judging by the attendance, the audience …
What’s the Future of Fumigation?
By Clint Thompson How specialty crop growers manage weeds when the field is not being sown is just as important as what fumigant they choose prior to planting season. Nathan Boyd, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) associate center director and professor of horticulture/weed science at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, has conducted years …
Inflation Could Reset Watermelon Industry
By Clint Thompson The current agricultural landscape has one South Georgia watermelon producer in survival mode. Instead of looking ahead five to 10 years down the road, Crisp County’s Greg Leger is taking it one season at a time. “How long can we sustain what’s happening right now? They’re not challenges that we haven’t faced in agriculture before. But we …











