By Clint Thompson Watermelon harvests have begun in North Florida. But that doesn’t mean producers should halt their fertilizer applications. Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Regional Specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, Florida, emphasizes to growers the importance of continuing their fertilizer application program. “Lets say you and I have a field and …
Compost and Cover Crops Improve Soil Health in Citrus
By Tacy Callies Citrus grower Sonny Conner recently hosted a group from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) for what he called his “Clint Eastwood tour of the good, the bad and the ugly.” While some of his trees are too far gone from citrus greening (the bad and the ugly) to be resuscitated, many more …
Ukraine-Russia Conflict: Lingering Impact on Farmers
By Clint Thompson The longer the conflict in the Ukraine lingers the added impact it will have on input costs farmers are forced to pay, mainly for fertilizer. Veronica Nigh, economist with American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), discusses the situation. “I think what this last year and the last couple of months in particular have pointed out, these are globally …
Statistically Speaking: Various Factors Contribute to Surge in Input Expenses
By Clint Thompson Various factors have contributed to the increase in costs for fertilizer and other energy-based inputs. A surge in post-pandemic demand combined with transportation delays, low crude oil inventories and the current Russia-Ukraine conflict are the main reasons, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service. Nitrogen fertilizer is up 110% from …
Water Farms Provide Multiple Benefits in Florida
By Frank Giles More than a decade ago, Doug Bournique, executive director of the Indian River Citrus League, had a thought. What if citrus growers who had groves that had become non-productive could take that land and use it for water storage to help reduce discharges into sensitive waterways like the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers? It was a novel …
Fertilizer Price Spike Highest Since Great Recession
During January’s Southeast Regional Fruit & Vegetable Conference in Savannah, Georgia, Daniel Tregeagle, an Extension economist with North Carolina State University, gave a presentation on economic and regulatory trends impacting citrus and specialty crop growers. MODEST MARKET GROWTHThe biggest blip on the proverbial economic radar has been COVID-19 and its continuing effects. Tregeagle noted these impacts mostly will be transient, …
New Fertilizer Technology May Help Farmers Reduce Nitrogen Load
LIVE OAK, FL (UF/IFAS-Oct. 21, 2019) — In the Suwannee Valley, farmers are diligently searching for solutions, or Best Management Practices (BMPs), to efficiently use fertilizers in crop production. At the UF/IFAS North Florida Research and Education Center – Suwannee Valley (UF/IFAS NFREC-SV), a team led by Bob Hochmuth, UF/IFAS Extension regional specialized agent for vegetable crops and assistant center …
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