Pecan harvests continue to wind down across Georgia. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service, commercial buyers and shellers have increased their interest in purchasing pecans to fill orders. However, some farmers are keeping their crop stored until after the new year. They are waiting for prices to adjust amid a harvest season where total pounds available …
Input Costs Remain Concern of Watermelon Growers
By Clint Thompson Watermelon growers in the Suwanee Valley Region are gearing up for the upcoming season. Their main challenge to a successful season is the obstacle that concerned them all of last year – high input costs. It is a subject that Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Regional Specialized Extension agent in …
Farming Safety Emphasized at Watermelon Meeting
By Clint Thompson Farming is an inherently dangerous occupation. But growers don’t usually think about the dangers that come with driving a tractor and working with various pieces of equipment. Not when it is a practice they have done day in and day out for decades. It is a concept not lost on Serap Gorucu, assistant professor in the University …
Trunk Injection Soon to Become Reality in Florida Citrus
The Gulf Citrus Growers Association (GCGA) hosted a luncheon on Dec. 7 at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center featuring a presentation by Tom Johnson, chief executive officer of TJ BioTech. The company is the manufacturer of ReMedium TI, the widely discussed formulation of oxytetracycline hydrochloride (OTC-HCI) that has shown promise as a treatment for HLB. The product is …
Fumigation: Pros and Cons Discussed at Annual Watermelon Meeting
By Clint Thompson Despite stringent regulatory requirements and high costs, fumigation remains a vital tool in a specialty crop producers’ toolbox when managing certain pests. “The reality is there’s just some pests and some crops where that is our most reliable tactic,” said Josh Freeman, an agronomist and regional manager with TriEst Ag Group. “Consider peppers for example. You have …
UGA Study Aims to Help Farmers Transitioning to Organic Production
By Maria M. Lameiras Organic agriculture has attracted both longtime producers and new farmers into the industry, as demand for organic food continues to increase. University of Georgia (UGA) scientists are coordinating new research designed to develop best practices for transitioning farmers starting out with land that has been used for grazing or has lain fallow. “Breaking new ground is …
Emphasis on Economics Aimed at Grower Profitability
By J. Scott Angle, jangle@ufl.edu, @IFAS_VP Eight new University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) economists focused on Florida agriculture will help growers get ahead of what happens in board rooms, government hearings and legislative debates. UF/IFAS provides you with the science to grow the world’s best fruits and vegetables and the knowledge to grow them profitably. …
Citrus Sampling of Varieties Grown in Gainesville
Consumers have different tastebuds that make them prefer certain fruit more than others. What one may like, another may reject. This is especially true in the citrus industry where palate and consumer preference play a role in what varieties growers choose to produce. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) campus in Gainesville hosted a recent citrus meeting …
Watermelon Institute’s Annual Meeting Educates Producers Ahead of Season
By Clint Thompson The Suwanee Valley Watermelon Institute’s annual meeting in Fanning Springs, Florida on Thursday came at just the right time for the region’s producers. They are about a month away from breaking ground for next year’s crop. The meeting allowed them the opportunity to learn about the latest research at the University of Florida Institute of Food and …
Florida Citrus Bud Advisories Now Underway
Regular flower bud advisories from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) were restarted Nov. 21 and will be provided every other week through early spring. Associate Professor Tripti Vashisth provides the advisories. The advisories provide critical information about the intensity and time of citrus blooms. Growers use this information to determine when to spray for Asian citrus …