ARS News Service BYRON, GEORGIA, May 14, 2020 — The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) has released a trio of Joy peaches — Rich Joy, Liberty Joy and Crimson Joy — to enhance the southeastern fresh peach market. Rich Joy is named for its fruit’s rich flavor and as a way to honor ARS peach breeder William Richardson Okie, who retired …
Watermelon Farmer Hopes to Capitalize on High Prices
By Clint Thompson Watermelons are in short supply and high demand right now. Alabama produce farmer Art Sessions hopes to capitalize when his crop becomes ready the first week in June. “We’ve been getting watermelons out of Florida and they are scarce. Everything coming out of Florida is really tight on account of this virus deal,” said Sessions, who also …
Florida Pesticide License Testing Resumes May 18
By: Tory Moore, torymoore@ufl.edu Due to COVID-19, all pesticide license testing in Florida was suspended for more than six weeks. Now that the state has started to reactivate services, testing will resume at select UF/IFAS Extension offices on Monday, May 18. Not all testing locations will open on May 18. Due to the number of COVID-19 cases in certain regions, …
Coming Soon to a Store Near You: Florida Finger Limes
LAKE ALFRED, Fla. — Sweet oranges. Ruby red grapefruit. Sugar Belle mandarins. When one thinks of Florida citrus, these fruits immediately come to mind. But finger limes? A University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher believes that finger limes maybe the next food trend that will continue to fortify Florida’s role as a citrus producer for the …
Yield Scientific Establishing Operations in South Carolina
More than $30 million investment to create 107 new jobs COLUMBIA – Yield Scientific, a subsidiary of GEM Opportunity Zone Fund, today announced plans to establish operations in Hampton County, South Carolina. The company’s $30 million-plus investment is projected to create 107 new jobs. Founded in 2017, Yield Scientific is a hemp growing and processing operation that specializes in clinical-grade …
Sweet Results for Florida Peach Farmer
By Clint Thompson Florida’s peach season has come and gone. David Wheeler, peach farmer in Lake Placid, Florida, said his season started early and finished earlier. From a marketing standpoint, that was as good as he could have hoped for. “The marketing window, that was very good this year, yes,” Wheeler said. Wheeler produces 120 acres of peach trees and …
Hydrogen Cyanamide for Uniform Bud Break in Peaches
By Ashley Robinson Weather conditions are an important factor when it comes to growing peaches in Florida. Florida’s mild winters and fluctuating temperatures in the fall continue to be challenges for peach production. Because peach trees are deciduous, they require a certain amount of cold weather to become dormant. Once the cold weather requirement for dormancy is met, the warm …
National Organic Coalition, Organic Farmers Association Ask Congress to Protect Food and Agriculture During Pandemic
Washington, D.C. – May 8, 2020 —The National Organic Coalition (NOC) and Organic Farmers Association (OFA) called on Congress yesterday to include provisions in the next coronavirus relief package to help organic farmers, farmworkers, retailers, certifiers, and other businesses weather the COVID-19 pandemic. Like all sectors of agriculture, organic operations are in crisis. In a five-page letter, NOC and OFA …
Get an Inside Look at the Latest Citrus Scion Trials
Here’s a snapshot of HLB data being evaluated in global citrus-producing areas.
Florida Mangoes Soon Will Be Ready for Harvest
By Clint Thompson Florida mango lovers will soon be able to sample this year’s crop, according Alan Chambers, University of Florida Assistant Professor/Genetics and Breeding of Tropical Fruits. “The mangoes are just beginning to ripen now,” he said. “Fresh mangoes from Florida will soon be available. We had multiple mango blooms this year in response to multiple cold spells. As …