By: Brad Buck, 813-757-2224, bradbuck@ufl.edu University of Florida scientists achieved a major milestone in their quest to develop a citrus greening-resistant tree by sequencing the genome of a fruit plant that’s a close cousin to citrus trees. You’d need to print 54,000 pages of copy paper to see the complete genome sequence. But within it, scientists believe they’ve found genes …
GFVGA Members Participate in Virtual March on Washington
By Chris Butts, GFVGA Legislative Affairs Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA) board members and staff recently participated in United Fresh’s Virtual Washington Conference. With travel still limited and much of Washington remaining shut down because of COVID-19, produce industry representatives from across the country gathered virtually on Sept. 21-25 to advocate for fruit and vegetable growers on issues …
Jamie Ellis, Director of UF/IFAS Honey Bee Lab, Wins National Excellence in Extension Award
By: Samantha Murray, grenrosa@ufl.edu, 949-735-1076 Recognizing visionary leadership and diversity in educational programming, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), Cooperative Extension, and the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) announced that Jamie Ellis of the University of Florida will receive the 2020 Excellence in Extension Award. USDA-NIFA and Cooperative Extension have sponsored …
Auburn Extension Economist Expects More Participation for CFAP 2
Auburn University Assistant Professor and Extension economist Adam Rabinowitz expects more growers to participate during this current sign-up period for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2. There’s no reason for growers to wait, go ahead and sign up for the program, which continues through Dec. 11, 2020. “I do expect more participation. I would encourage producers to look at this …
UGA researcher to study potential use of essential oils in organic blueberry production
By Josh Paine for UGA CAES News Organic fruit and vegetable growers want to meet the recent uptick in national consumer demand, but they need additional tools to battle pests and diseases that often accompany organic crop growth. One such tool may be the use of essential oils. That’s why the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and …
Establishing an Olive Industry in Florida
By Michael O’Hara Garcia With weather and soils similar to the Mediterranean Basin, olives grow in Florida and throughout much of the southeastern United States. Currently, Florida has approximately 800 acres of olives under active cultivation by 60 to 80 individual farmers in 20 counties. The groves range from backyard hobby plots with several trees to high-density commercial operations of …
North Carolina to Continue Under Industrial Hemp Pilot Program
According to the North Carolina State Extension, the NC Industrial Hemp Pilot Program was set to expire on Oct. 31, 2020. However, Congress passed a law (Wednesday) that allows states to continue their pilot programs until Sept. 20, 2021. For the time being the rules for growing hemp, licensing, compliance testing, etc. will remain the same in NC. NCDA&CS has …
Troxler Announces COVID-19 Assistance for Farmers Market Operators, Local Food Hubs
RALEIGH – Beginning Oct. 1, farmers markets operators and local food hubs can apply for assistance through the COVID-19 Emergency Aid for Farmers Market Operators and Local Food Hubs program. A total of $750,000 will be available from federal COVID-19 funds earmarked for North Carolina. Funding is meant to assist with losses from reduced number of vendors, plus offset additional …
Farmers to Families Food Box Program Surpasses 100 Million Boxes Delivered
(Washington, D.C., September 29, 2020) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced today that more than 100 million food boxes have been distributed in support of American farmers and families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farmers to Families Food Box Program. Earlier this month, the Department announced it had entered into contracts with 50 entities …
Funding Available to Help with Organic Certification
COLUMBIA – South Carolina farmers and food processors who want to pursue organic certification may qualify for reimbursement through a grant administered by the South Carolina Department of Agriculture. “Organic certification can help agribusinesses find new customers and expand to new markets, and we’re happy to be able to help,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Hugh Weathers. The Organic Certification …