 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been tagged as “Hurricane Ian”
By Leonard Park The Florida blueberry season that began in the summer of 2022 culminated in one of the smallest spring harvests in years. The main culprit was Hurricane Ian. However, the lack of chill hours in December, followed by two harsh cold snaps over the holidays, affected other regions with damaged flower buds and crop delays. For most growers, …
By Frank Giles Florida Citrus Mutual celebrated its 75th Citrus Industry Annual Conference in Bonita Springs, Florida, last week. During the event’s industry luncheon, Glenn Beck was presented with the Citrus Achievement Award trophy. The award is presented by AgNet Media and is sponsored by Florida Citrus Mutual. Beck concluded his two-year tenure serving as Mutual’s president during the conference. …
By Clint Thompson Blueberry harvests are winding down across Florida. Quality and quantity were high in certain fields, though others observed negative impacts from Hurricane Ian last September. Doug Phillips, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) blueberry Extension coordinator, discussed the state of harvests across Florida this year. “Quality wise for sure, it’s been a good …
By Tacy Callies In a state known for Northern transplants, fifth-generation Floridians aren’t frequently found — unless you work in agriculture. Chris and Tina Connell, owners of Pebbledale Farms, are proud to call themselves fifth-generation Floridians. Tina’s grandfather grew strawberries and peppers. Chris was raised in the phosphate mining business, and his grandfather was a citrus grower and rancher. The …
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently visited a citrus grove in Polk County, Florida, to survey the impact of Hurricane Ian and meet affected growers. He highlighted efforts by the U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) to help Florida producers recover from the devastating impact of hurricanes. USDA is working through nearly 2,500 requests for assistance following Hurricane Ian. It has aided …
Researchers will assess 20 to 30 Florida citrus groves impacted by 2022’s Hurricane Ian to learn lessons that will help growers in the future. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers Christopher Vincent and Tripti Vashisth and their teams will conduct the assessment. The research will be funded by a $280,000, one-year grant from the U.S. Department of …
By Frank Giles Florida citrus leaders will testify before the Florida Senate Agriculture Committee on Jan. 17 to provide lawmakers with a sense of the disastrous impact last year’s hurricanes had on the crop and growers’ financial positions. Among those testifying are Christa Court, director of the economic impact analysis program, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences; …
By Clint Thompson Hurricane Ian did more than just flood parts of Florida and spark damage with its high winds when it moved across the state on Sept. 28. It also delayed plantings of multiple crops, including strawberries. Sweet corn was another crop impacted, according to Tori Rumenik, commodity services and supply chain manager for the Florida Fruit and Vegetable …
By Clint Thompson Florida’s strawberry growers had a delayed start to the season; some intentionally and others by Hurricane Ian. Matt Parke, farm manager of Parkesdale Farms in Plant City, Florida, estimates that 80% of the industry decided to begin plantings later this year, a week later than normal. But then some had plants ready to go before being sidelined …
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) issued an emergency rule on Monday allowing enrolled producers to apply a replacement fertilizer to reestablish crops impacted by Hurricane Ian without fear of being out of compliance with their respective Best Management Practices (BMP) manuals. FDACS recommends producers conduct soil testing to confirm the need for replacement fertilizer prior to …
