By Clint Thompson The calendar says it’s the third week of February. In previous years that has meant watermelon planting time for some growers in the Suwanee Valley region of Florida. This week’s low temperatures, however, could halt some of that planting time. Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Regional Specialized Extension agent in …
AFVGA Conference Coverage: Neopestalotiopsis Disease Discussed
By Clint Thompson Neopestalotiopsis (neo) was a topic of discussion during last week’s Alabama Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association Conference (AFVGA) and Trade Show in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Phil Brannen, UGA Extension fruit disease specialist, spoke about the strawberry disease with attendees and engaged in a Q-and-A session with strawberry producers. “We do have a problem. I think they recognize …
Brooke L. Rollins Sworn in as Secretary of Ag
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Brooke Rollins was sworn in as the 33rd U.S. Secretary of Agriculture by Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court Clarence Thomas in a private ceremony on Thursday at the Supreme Court building. The U.S. Senate confirmed Rollins by a vote of 72 to 28. “It is the honor of a lifetime to serve as the nation’s …
Savor the Taste: Pack in Nutrition During Florida Strawberry Season
You can taste them now – sweet, succulent strawberries. February and March mark the peak time for Florida strawberry production, and University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) experts point to several reasons consumers gobble up the juicy fruit. “Strawberries are tasty because they are sweet and slightly tangy. This comes from the sugars and acids in …
Peach Producers’ Approach in Managing San Jose Scale
By Clint Thompson Timing remains a vital part of San Jose scale management for peach producers in the Southeast. Brett Blaauw, assistant professor at the University of Georgia (UGA) College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, outlined the approach growers must take if they are going to successfully manage this pest. “Getting a good delayed dormant spray on for the scale …
Specialty Crop Grower Magazine: Corbett Brothers Expanding Amid Increased Challenges
By Clint Thompson If your farming operation isn’t growing, it’s shrinking. That’s the Corbett family motto that’s been passed down from generation to generation. The philosophy serves as the basis for Justin Corbett, who operates Corbett Brothers Farms in Lake Park, Georgia, with his brother Jared. While some specialty crop farms are operating in survival mode due to increased input …
Attention Florida Blueberry Growers: Manage Flower Thrips, Anthracnose Fruit Rot
By Maegan Beatty Florida’s blueberry growers are embracing excellent crop conditions and a strong market with peak harvest expected in late February or early March, according to Doug Phillips, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Blueberry Extension Coordinator. Producers must still be mindful, though, of the presence of flower thrips and anthracnose fruit rot impacting this …
Blackberry Production in Florida
By Clint Thompson Interest in blackberry production is on the rise in Florida. Zhanao Deng, professor of environmental horticulture at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, is tasked with helping grow the industry throughout the state. He is doing it in two ways. “We are trying to find the (existing) varieties that we can grow here …
Specialty Crop Grower Magazine: Calls to Adjust H-2A Wage Rate Method
By Frank Giles Inflation has hit everyone’s pocketbook in recent years, but the agriculture sector has felt the squeeze more acutely than most. Increasing costs have impacted the H-2A visa program, which many specialty crop growers now rely on to source labor. For the past few years, significant increases in the adverse effect wage rate (AEWR) have been imposed on …
Florida Citrus Show More Than a Month Away
By Clint Thompson AgNet Media reminds citrus and specialty crop leaders across the Southeast that the Florida Citrus Show is a little more than a month away. The event is scheduled for Thursday, March 13, in Fort Pierce, Florida. The show will be hosted at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Indian River Research and Education …



















