Adventurous producers are still seeking ways to squeeze profit out of this appealing citrus fruit.
UGA researcher to study potential use of essential oils in organic blueberry production
By Josh Paine for UGA CAES News Organic fruit and vegetable growers want to meet the recent uptick in national consumer demand, but they need additional tools to battle pests and diseases that often accompany organic crop growth. One such tool may be the use of essential oils. That’s why the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and …
Establishing an Olive Industry in Florida
By Michael O’Hara Garcia With weather and soils similar to the Mediterranean Basin, olives grow in Florida and throughout much of the southeastern United States. Currently, Florida has approximately 800 acres of olives under active cultivation by 60 to 80 individual farmers in 20 counties. The groves range from backyard hobby plots with several trees to high-density commercial operations of …
COVID-19 risk factors vary by farm workers’ legal status; shows need for tailored measures
University of Florida/IFAS As laborers return to the fields this fall in Florida, both unauthorized workers and those authorized to plant and pick crops through a guest worker visa are vulnerable to the coronavirus. In fact, an estimated 75% of Florida crop workers have at least one underlying health issue that puts them at risk of developing COVID-19 complications, new …
Sneak Peek: October 2020 VSCNews Magazine
By Ashley Robinson The October issue of VSCNews magazine covers a variety of topics, including establishing an olive industry in Florida, the potential for hops and a strawberry spotlight. Currently, Florida has approximately 800 acres of olives under production. Although olives grow well in Florida’s warm climate, little formal research on Florida olive cultivation is available to support industry development. …
Improved Weather Data at Growers’ Fingertips
Weather is one of the most important factors affecting crop growth and production. The Florida Automated Weather Network (FAWN), a University of Florida-operated service, was created to assist growers in making decisions related primarily to irrigation scheduling and cold protection. Currently, the FAWN network operates 42 stations located from Jay to Homestead that record and report every 15 minutes on …
New AI Technology ‘Agroview’ Named UF Invention of the Year
September 23, 2020 By: Brad Buck, 813-757-2224, bradbuck@ufl.edu Yiannis Ampatzidis and his research team combined their collective minds to find the artificial intelligence technology to best help farmers save money and better care for their crops. Out of that process, they invented a system known as Agroview. The system utilizes images from drones and satellites and from the ground – …
Using Reflective Mulch Films to Optimize Strawberry Production
By Ashley Robinson Although a winter crop, strawberry production in Florida still falls victim to heat stress. With extreme heat during establishment, cool temperatures during the early and mid-harvests, and high temperatures during the late harvest, the crop is subject to dramatic seasonal temperature variations. Traditionally, the state’s strawberry growers have used black plastic mulch to achieve adequate wintertime soil …
Why Citrus Education Is Worth the Connection Anywhere
Despite this year’s Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference going virtual, there was still plenty of learning opportunities to be had online.
New NIFA-Funded Research to Examine Cover Crops in Organic Vegetable Production Systems
By: Kirsten Romaguera, 352-294-3313, kromaguera@ufl.edu The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture just announced funding for a project comprising an interdisciplinary team from the University of Florida. The three-year project, “Quantifying the nitrogen cycling benefits of different cover crops across different Florida organic vegetable production systems,” received a $496,271 grant as part of USDA-NIFA’s Organic Agriculture …