By Karla Arboleda While the H-2A program in the United States helps agriculture when native workers are not able or willing, experts agree that H-2A reform could lead to a more sustainable industry. The hard work and discipline required of people working on farms have become less attractive to Americans. This puts U.S. growers at a disadvantage in comparison to …
Enza Zaden Field Day Features Watermelons and More
Growers and seed distributors had a field day Tuesday at the Enza Zaden seed breeding and field trials facility near Myakka City, Florida. The main attraction was the watermelon trials that include new varieties being tested and introduced into the market. Other trials added great flavor to the day’s tour and discussions, with multiple plots for bell peppers, mature green …
Watermelon Field Day to Showcase New Varieties
Florida watermelon growers will want to mark their calendars for the Enza Zaden Watermelon Field Day. The field day is set to take place May 14 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Enza Zaden Research Station in Myakka City, Florida. On May 7, Enza Zaden held a closed event to preview the varieties that will be shown during …
Tomato Suspension Agreement Officially Terminated
On May 7 the Tomato Suspension Agreement officially terminated. The Department of Commerce announced the U.S. withdrawal in the beginning of the year. The agreement, made back in 2013, was designed to prevent an anti-dumping investigation in exchange for Mexican growers agreeing to certain restrictions. Michael Schadler, executive vice president of the Florida Tomato Exchange, has been very vocal about …
Teaching the Next Generation About Aquaculture
By Eric Cassiano Aquaculture is one of the fastest growing agricultural sectors. As the need for aquaculture increases, the opportunity for several careers develops. Many K-12 schools have identified and addressed this growing need by implementing aquaculture within their curriculums. Island Coast High School (ICHS) in Lee County has one of the largest K-12 aquaculture programs in Florida. It all …
Studying Salmonella Prevention in Produce
By Alison DeLoach Food safety is a top priority for food scientists in the United States. Govindaraj Dev Kumar, an assistant professor at the Center for Food Safety at the University of Georgia, is researching the foodborne pathogen salmonella and the threat it poses to food safety. Kumar said there are 2,500 different types of salmonella found in poultry, eggs …
Preparing for the Florida Ag Expo
Planning for the 2019 Florida Ag Expo (FAE) is well underway. This week, the FAE seminar planning committee met to brainstorm ideas for the educational program. Attendees will have the opportunity to earn continuing education units and receive updates on the latest cutting-edge research from the University of Florida (UF). The AgNet Media team that manages FAE met with UF …
Tomato Suspension Agreement Battle May Not Be Over Yet
The termination of the Tomato Suspension Agreement may be stopped in its tracks after associations representing the Mexican tomato industry have proposed changes to the agreement. The agreement was set to be terminated on May 7. The associations recently presented their proposal to the U.S. Department of Commerce. According to a report from Abasto (https://abasto.com/en/mexican-growers-tomato-imports/), the changes proposed by the …
Advancing Technology in Agriculture
By Alison DeLoach High-price specialized agricultural equipment is not affordable for many family farms. Glen Rains, professor at the University of Georgia in the College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences, is working to create a solution to this problem. Rains participated in a panel discussion on the future of agricultural technology at the 2019 Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference. …
Suppress the Weeds, Not the Crop
Understanding herbicide injury in tomatoes can help growers protect their investment. By Ramdas Kanissery, Nathan Boyd and Camille McAvoy Herbicides are designed to control undesired plants within a cropping system. Crop injury can occur when herbicides are applied incorrectly. For example, injury can be the result of drift, volatilization, runoff, tank contamination or misapplication of a product. INJURY SYMPTOMS Injury …