Bob Spencer, with West Coast Tomato in Palmetto, Florida, believes there is light at the end of a year-long tunnel for the state’s tomato producers. As more states continue to reopen combined with the recent passage of the America Rescue Plan, there appears to be good news on the horizon for Florida tomato producers who have struggled from the onset …
H.E.M.P. Webinars: Alabama Extension Offering Hemp Production Education
Alabama Extension is ensuring hemp producers have all the relevant data throughout the season in hopes they’ll experience a more profitable season in 2021. The Alabama Extension H.E.M.P. (Hemp Education and Management Program) webinar series is a one-hour webinar held twice monthly. It provides information on various topics pertaining to hemp production. The next meeting will be held Wednesday at …
QLA Deadline: Pecan Producers Reminded of April 9 Date
Pecan producers still recovering from Hurricane Michael have three weeks to apply for the Quality Loss Adjustment (QLA) Program. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s decision to extend the deadline from March 5 to April 9 allows farmers extra time to apply for a program that is assisting producers who suffered crop quality losses due to qualifying natural disasters in the …
Final Rule: Changes to Hemp Production Go Into Effect March 22
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Hemp Production Program’s Final Rule will go into effect March 22. Some of the key provisions include raising the negligence threshold from 0.5% to 1% and limits the maximum number of negligent violations that a producer can receive in a growing season to one. Also, the normal 15-day window to collect samples before harvest has …
Cup of Joe in the Sunshine State? UF Researchers Using AI to Study Coffee’s Potential
A changing climate could lead to a new crop for Florida producers. University of Florida (UF) scientists are already growing coffee plants at the UF/IFAS Plant Science Research and Education Unit. This could lead to coffee being produced in the Sunshine State one day. The project, which is a collaboration between the UF Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering and UF/IFAS, …
QLA Deadline Extended: Applications Now Due April
WASHINGTON, March 5, 2021 – Vegetable and specialty crop producers in the Southeast that want to apply for the Quality Loss Adjustment (QLA) Program now have an extra month to submit an application. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) extended the deadline from March 5 to April 9 for producers to apply, due to recent winter storms and some clarifications …
Pecan Nominations: Deadline for Promotion Board is March 26
Attention pecan producers who are interested in serving on the American Pecan Promotion Board. The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is seeking nominations for pecan growers. The deadline is Friday, March 26. Eligibility requirements include that producers and importers must have produced or imported more than 50,000 pounds of inshell pecans or 25,000 pounds of …
Industry in Decline: Citrus Greening, Irma Impacting Florida Citrus Production
Florida citrus production has decreased for almost two decades. According to Marisa Zansler, director of economic and market research at the Florida Department of Citrus, the two main factors for the state’s steady decline are citrus greening (huanglongbing, known as HLB) and Hurricane Irma. Staggering Statistics Zansler presented staggering statistics during the Florida Agricultural Policy Outlook Conference on Feb. 26 …
Immigration Reform: Ag Leaders Sound Off on Timely Topic
The USDA’s Agricultural Outlook Forum recently highlighted various topics surrounding the future of the industry. Two agricultural leaders discussed one issue that has been at the industry’s forefront in the Southeast – immigration reform. National Council of Farmer Cooperatives President and CEO Chuck Conner said immigration reform has long been a hot issue discussed in Washington D.C. but has failed …
Mighty Mites: UF Scientists Provide Information for Hemp Producers
University of Florida researchers have released information about mites that could impact the state’s hemp producers. The mites can cause devastation to hemp produced in fields and greenhouses. These include hemp russet mites, broad mites and spider mites. “These pests can attack hemp by distorting growth, causing defoliation and even killing plants,” said Lance Osborne, a professor of entomology at …