Producers Discuss Impact of Pallet Shortage Never in his many years of farming did Georgia vegetable producer Jaime Patrick ever envision a scenario in which he would lack pallets to ship his produce. It’s never been a problem … until now. “You just call, and they send them to you,” said Patrick, who farms in Omega, Georgia. “I never thought …
How to Stay HLB Free in North Florida, South Georgia Citrus
Temperatures are increasing across Florida. Unfortunately, so is the risk for citrus greening disease. While the southern and central portions of the state remain vulnerable to Huanglongbing (HLB) or citrus greening, and Asian citrus psyllids (ACP) – the vectors that cause the most economically damaging citrus disease in the world – growers in North Florida and South Georgia are still …
South Florida Still Abnormally Dry
According to the latest release of the US Drought Monitor, recent rainfall has alleviated some of the dry conditions felt in central parts of Florida. There are still abnormally dry conditions in South Florida. Those extend northward to Hendry County, Martin County and Palm Beach County. A moderate drought is still being experienced in the southern part of Collier County, …
Watermelon Field Day in North Florida
University of Florida/IFAS will host a Watermelon Field Day on Monday, May 3 at Watson’s Farm in Levy County. The event will be held from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. with a dinner to follow. Mark Warren, UF/IFAS Extension agent in Levy County, will discuss nutritional management as part of an BMP program. Bob Hochmuth, the UF Regional Specialized Extension …
So Far So Good for Florida Peach Crop
So far, so good for Florida’s peach crop. According to Jose Chaparro, UF/IFAS Associate Professor in the Horticultural Sciences Department, the peach season is going well throughout the state. “This has been really the best spring season we’ve had in a few years,” Chaparro said. “We got adequate chilling. We have good weather, and we haven’t had too much rain. …
Secret Weapon? AI Could Help Strawberry Farmers against Twospotted Spider Mite
Artificial intelligence (AI) maybe the secret weapon in strawberry farmers’ fight against the twospotted spider mite. University of Florida scientists have developed a smartphone application to detect the annual pest of Florida strawberries. If farmers could detect the pest quicker, they could utilize lower levels of chemicals that could otherwise harm the environment. For Example For a 50-acre farm, every …
Capitalize on Conservation Funding and Enhance Produce Safety
By Kristin Woods Conservation funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA NRCS) can help growers implement good land stewardship practices in an economically sustainable way. While these practices may affect pathogen movement in the farm environment, they are not meant to reduce produce safety risk. Additional consideration must be given around how implementing specific practices …
Sneak Peek: May 2021 VSCNews Magazine
By Ashley Robinson The future of weed control is here. The May issue of VSCNews Magazine provides the inside scoop on all things weed control. First up, Yiannis Ampatzidis, an assistant professor at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center (SWFREC) covers the future of precision weed control. …
Be on Alert: Gray Mold in Strawberries Can be Devastating
One of the most common diseases of strawberries has already been observed this year in Alabama. Gray mold, also known as Botrytis blight or Botrytis fruit rot, can devastate a crop and cause millions in lost revenue if not managed, according to Alabama Extension. No part of the strawberry plant is immune from the disease. Gray mold can affect the …
Citrus Interest Growing in North Florida, South Georgia
Interest in citrus continues to spike in North Florida and South Georgia. Georgia acres have doubled over the past year. North Florida has increased by another 300 to 400 this spring, says farmer Kim Jones, who owns a citrus packing facility in Monticello, Florida. “We’re seeing a whole lot of acres being planted. It’s hard to get trees. We’ve had …