UF/IFAS Extension Farm Labor Education Program Online in English, Spanish

Web AdminFlorida, Top Posts

By: Lourdes Rodriguez, 954-577-6363 office, 954-242-8439 mobile, rodriguezl@ufl.edu FLORIDA. – The fall crop season is underway in Florida and over the next few months, an increase in the farmworker population will help plant, maintain, and harvest our crops in the Sunshine State. Agriculture is an essential industry where farmworker safety is paramount to the successes underlying timely and efficient crop production activities. …

Hurricane Eta a Threat to South Florida Vegetables

Web AdminFlorida, Top Posts, Vegetables, Weather

The latest hurricane activity to threaten the United States could impact South Florida vegetable production early next week. According to weather.com, Hurricane Eta is threatening to approach South Florida this weekend and bring rain, high winds or a combination of both as early as Monday morning. Vegetable producers are feeling anxious right now, says Gene McAvoy, University of Florida Regional …

Farmer’s Message Regarding Mexican Imports: It’s a Totally Different Playing Field

Web AdminExports/Imports, Florida, Georgia, Top Posts

All South Georgia vegetable farmer Sam Watson wants when competing against Mexican imports is a level playing field. Right now, that does not exist and has the Moultrie, Georgia farmer concerned about the future of the American farmer. “When you look at what we have to do from our cost of production standpoint and you look at our labor costs …

New Blueberry Variety Honors Benefactor, UF Alumnus Alto Straughn

Web AdminBerries, Florida, Top Posts

October 29, 2020 By: Brad Buck, bradbuck@ufl.edu When Patricio Muñoz developed the University of Florida’s newest blueberry variety, he wanted to name the fruit in honor of Alto Straughn, a longtime, strong supporter of UF’s blueberry breeding program. Muñoz decided to call the new variety the ‘Sentinel.’ “A ‘sentinel’ is a watcher or guardian,” said Muñoz, a UF/IFAS assistant professor …

USDA Encourages Ag Producers, Residents to Prepare for Hurricane Zeta

Web AdminAlabama, Florida, Georgia, Top Posts, Weather

WASHINGTON, Oct. 28, 2020 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is reminding communities, farmers, ranchers and small businesses in the path of Hurricane Zeta that USDA has programs that provide assistance in the wake of disasters. USDA staff in the regional, state and county offices stand ready and are eager to help. “Our neighbors in the Gulf have endured …

Zeta Set to Move Through Region This Week

Web AdminAlabama, Florida, Georgia, Top Posts, Weather

Zeta, a tropical system and an expected hurricane once it reaches the U.S. by Wednesday, is churning in the Gulf of Mexico and is expected to move across the Southeast later this week. According to the UGA Extension Viticulture Blog, Pam Knox, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Agricultural Climatologist, said there will be some rain and gusty winds from that …

Coming Soon: New University of Florida Strawberry Varieties

Web AdminFlorida, Strawberry, Top Posts, VSCNews magazine

By Vance M. Whitaker Two new strawberry selections have been approved for release by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) and are in the commercialization process. Trade names have not yet been finalized but should be chosen in the next six months. For both, larger-scale testing will be conducted this fall, and commercial quantities will …

Agricultural Acres Down Significantly Over Last 100 Years

Web AdminAlabama, Florida, Georgia, Top Posts

Agricultural acres have dropped dramatically over the last 100 years throughout the Southeast. According to stacker.com, Georgia and Alabama were two of the top four states to see their farm land decrease the most. Based on numbers from the United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service, Alabama, ranked No. 4 in decreased acres, had 256,099 farms in 1920 …

University of Florida Awarded Key Federal Grants to Continue Fight Against Citrus Greening

Web AdminCitrus, Florida, Top Posts

By: Ruth Borger, 517-803-7631, rborger@ufl.edu LAKE ALFRED, Fla. — University of Florida (UF) researchers hope to discover new methods to help citrus growers fight the deadly citrus greening (or Huanglongbing) disease with cost effective, long-term sustainable treatments with the support of recently awarded federal grants.  Three teams of scientists from UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences received nearly $4.5 …

Alabama Extension Economist Tries to Clear Up Misconception about Hemp

Web AdminAlabama, Florida, Georgia, Hemp, Top Posts

A misconception between hemp and marijuana has Adam Rabinowitz concerned about how consumers view an up-and-coming agricultural commodity in the Southeast. Rabinowitz worked as an Extension economist at the University of Georgia before he moved to Alabama this summer to become an Auburn University Assistant Professor and Extension economist. At UGA, Rabinowitz helped conduct a survey to gauge consumer knowledge …