GAINESVILLE, Fla. — As 2018 gives way to 2019, the senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources at the University of Florida (UF) looks back with pride at the progress made by the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) and predicts continued momentum for the coming year. “We have labs, fields and greenhouses in every corner of …
Alternative Crops Gaining Traction Nationwide
Growers throughout the United States are taking a crack at different alternative crops. Rod Bain discusses this with Dr. Rob Myers, a regional director for the Sustainable Agriculture and Research Education program. Listen below to learn about the potential benefits of delving into alternative crops. Sponsored ContentTriEst Ag Group: Partners in ProfitabilityApril 1, 2024SECURE FUNDING NOW | USDA-Sponsored Farming Project …
Two UF/IFAS Researchers Earn Prestigious Honor
Among their many accomplishments, one may be best known for trying to grow plants in space; the other, for helping growers battle bacterial spot disease of tomato. The two University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) professors have been named fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Robert Ferl, a UF/IFAS professor of horticultural …
Desantis Transition Panel Weighs Water Issues
Money set aside annually for the restoration of the Everglades and other waterways should also help end the use of septic tanks, a former House speaker suggested Monday as a panel considered potential environmental policies for Gov.-elect Ron DeSantis. Former Speaker Steve Crisafulli said the incoming governor should tap the “Legacy Florida” funding to aid conversions from septic tanks to …
Secretary Perdue Comments on Signing of USMCA
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued the following statement regarding the signing of the new trade pact, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), replacing the outdated North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA): “I have often said that we live in the best neighborhood on Earth – North America – and the signing of a new trade agreement with Mexico and …
Agreement Reached in Principle on 2018 Farm Bill
House and Senate Agriculture Committee Chairmen Mike Conaway (R-Texas) and Pat Roberts (R- Kan.) and Ranking Members Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) made the following announcement on the state of the 2018 farm bill negotiations: “We’re pleased to announce that we’ve reached an agreement in principle on the 2018 farm bill. We are working to finalize legal and …
Granddaddy of Southeast AgNet Retires
Everett Griner, at 92 years young, is turning off his Southeast AgNet microphone to officially retire. He plans to spend more time with his wife at their farm home in Moultrie, Georgia. There are so many things about Griner I have learned to appreciate and respect since he joined the Southeast AgNet farm broadcast team in the late 1980s. He …
Florida Strawberries Face Devastation with No Protection from Unfair Trade
WASHINGTON D.C. — The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) fails to provide effective near-term relief measures for Southeast fruit and vegetable producers. Florida is the nation’s largest producer of fresh strawberries during the winter months; however, central Mexico’s strawberry production increased fivefold from 2000 to 2017. “This exponential increase presents a clear and present danger to the sustainability of the Florida strawberry …
He Grew Up in 4-H, Now Brown Honored as ‘Friend of IFAS’
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Raised on a family farm in Orange Heights, Florida, Reggie Brown recalls taking his chickens to the Gainesville town square for a 4-H contest when he was about 9 or 10. “I won the blue ribbon. I was real proud,” Brown said. As a child, Brown immersed himself in such Florida 4-H projects. For another project, he …
Grower Reminder: Be on the Lookout for Blueberry Gall Midge
The Florida Blueberry Growers Association sent out the following release: Time to Monitor for Blueberry Gall Midge Just a reminder to blueberry growers that it is time to monitor for the presence of adult blueberry gall midge on your farms. Adults are typically active beginning in November, with a peak in January and February in Central and South Central Florida, …