By Frank Giles Beginning farmers face obstacles when there is no land, equipment and expertise being handed down from one generation to the next. But many multigenerational farms face similar challenges when family transitions take place. The Casey family in Hernando County has dealt with those issues as the younger generation sought to keep the farming tradition alive. Jeff Casey, …
Parts of Southeast are Abnormally Dry
By Clint Thompson Dry conditions are minimal across southeastern states like Florida, Georgia and Alabama but persist in certain areas of the region, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. A couple of counties in the southwest part of Georgia, including Early, Seminole and Decatur, are now abnormally dry after several weeks of sufficient moisture. Abnormally dry conditions are also observed …
Citrus Industry Seeks Support on Label Requests, Including Imidacloprid
Florida Citrus Mutual (FCM) has been working with product registrants to gather industry support for two 24(c) label requests being presented to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). REMEDIUM TIThe first request, from TJ BioTech, is related to the use of ReMedium TI via injection in citrus trees suffering from citrus greening. Research has proven oxytetracycline injection improves crop yield …
Will Florida Citrus Fruit Hold on Trees?
As the 2022–2023 harvest season kicks off, Glenn Beck of Beck Bros. Citrus is hopeful for a better season than last year. He has witnessed the groves he owns and manages suffer the effects of HLB over the years. When it comes to managing the disease, Beck has a simple philosophy: Stick with a solid production plan. He acknowledges that …
Hops Field Day Scheduled for Sept. 28
Florida’s specialty crop producers are reminded that the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) will be hosting a Fall 2022 Hops Field Day at the Gulf Coasta Research and Education Center in Wimauma, Florida on Wednesday, Sept. 28. Attendees will learn about the double-season hop production system and the potential of brewing hops in Florida. The …
Rethinking the way we use botanical oil-based biopesticides
Specialty crop growers are always thinking long-term to prepare for upcoming proÂduction seasons. Insecticide resistance is a concern all growers have pertaining to specific pests. Will certain chemistries against certain insects continue to be effective years from now? Some farmers are already encountering resistance issues. Michael Hull, technical services manager at Kemin Crop Technologies, speaks with growers on this subject …
Expo Specialty Crop Sessions Educate Growers
By Clint Thompson A highlight of the annual Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo is the seminar program that focuses on the vegetable and specialty crop industry in Florida. This year’s sessions covered a range of topics, including pest management, alternative crops that growers can take advantage of, and various other research updates from University of Florida Institute of Food and …
Rucks Nursery Becomes Conservation Area
A partnership between Conservation Florida, the Polk County Parks and Natural Resources Division and the U.S. Department of Defense secured funding to create a conservation easement for Phillip Rucks Citrus Nursery. The easement provides protection for rare upland wildlife and plant species. The 320-acre nursery is conserved in perpetuity and will never be developed, but will remain productive agricultural land, according …
Millennium Block Citrus Variety Trial Field Day Set for October
The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC) will host a Millennium Block Variety Trial Field Day on Oct. 19. The event will be held from 9 a.m. to noon. The Millennium Block is at 7850 Pruitt Research Road in Fort Pierce. Registration can be completed online here or by calling Tom …
US Drought Monitor: Minimal Dry Conditions Across Southeast
Thursday’s release of the U.S. Drought Monitor showed minimal drought conditions throughout the Southeast, especially in Georgia and Alabama. Georgia has sufficient moisture with no dry conditions. Alabama’s abnormally dry conditions were restricted to the northwest part of the state including Lauderdale, Colbert, Limestone, Madison, Franklin, Lawrence and Winston counties. Florida’s abnormally dry conditions are isolated to the southeastern part …