Southeastern Agriculture Well Represented at PMA Fresh Summit

Web Admininnovation, Produce, Top Posts, Vegetables

The Produce Marketing Association’s (PMA) annual Fresh Summit took place Oct. 17-19 in Orlando, Florida. Every year, this huge summit brings members of the global produce and floral industries together to make connections and mingle with fellow industry professionals. Every year, southeastern agriculture has a huge presence at the summit, most notably in the Fresh from Florida and Georgia Grown …

Georgia Vegetable Grower Discusses Hurricane Damage

Web AdminProduce, Top Posts, Vegetables, Weather

Hurricane Michael decimated multiple sectors of Georgia agriculture, ranging from cotton to pecans. One industry that was heavily impacted was vegetables. What was supposed to be a banner fall season for Georgia growers has turned into devastation. Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Gary Black says that while the economic damages of vegetables are smaller than other commodities like peanuts or cotton, …

Hydrogels as Herbicide Carriers in Vegetable Plasticulture

Web AdminResearch, Top Posts, Vegetables

By Ramdas Kanissery and Camille McAvoy Weed management is a fundamental step in the successful production of vegetable crops in Florida under commercial plasticulture production systems. Soil fumigation was one of the most successful means of reducing weed populations. None of the alternatives to methyl bromide have a broad spectrum of activity against weeds. This necessitates the need for a …

Putnam and the USDA Declare the Oriental Fruit Fly Eradicated in Miami-Dade County

Web AdminFruit, Industry News Release, Leafy Vegetables, Stone Fruit, Tropical Fruit, Vegetables

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have declared eradication in the Oriental fruit fly outbreak in the predominantly agricultural Redland area of Miami-Dade County. Due to early detection and rapid response, no quarantine was required during this program. This successful Oriental fruit fly eradication is the second one during this …

Exploring Alternative Crops for Hastings, Florida

Web AdminCole Crop, Corn, Sweet Potatoes, Top Posts, Vegetables

By Breanna Kendrick Hastings is the potato capital of Florida, but local potato growers  recently have been facing marketing challenges and contract reductions. Therefore, interest in alternative crops for the region is growing. Gary England, director of the University of Florida’s Hastings Agricultural Extension Center, and his team have been researching alternative crops for the Hastings area. They are conducting …

Senators Take Aim at Unfair Trade Practices Hurting Florida Fruit and Vegetable Growers

Web AdminFruit, Industry News Release, Trade, Vegetables

U.S. Senators Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) introduced legislation to help Florida fruit and vegetable growers combat unfair trade practices. The bill comes amid long-standing and increasing complaints from Florida farmers that Mexican growers illegally flood the U.S. market with subsidized produce during the winter season. Florida is one of the few places in the country that can …

florida fruit

Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association Appoints Joyner as New President

Web AdminFruit, Industry News Release, Vegetables

Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association Chairman Paul R. Orsenigo announced that Mike Joyner has been named as the organization’s new president effective Oct. 15. Joyner’s experience in agricultural and environmental issues runs deep. Most recently, he served as assistant commissioner of agriculture and chief of staff for Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, helping to lead the state Department of Agriculture and …

Certified Crop Advisors Experience the Diversity of Florida Ag

Web AdminTop Posts, Vegetables

Certified Crop Advisors (CCA) from around the United States and Canada gathered in Bonita Springs, Florida, this week for their annual board meeting. The meetings began on Sept. 18, but several attendees arrived a day early to embark on a tour of South Florida agriculture. Armando Campos, chairmen of the North American CCA board, says he wanted to showcase the …

Alabama’s Produce Industry on a Growth Path

Web AdminFruit, Produce, Top Posts, Vegetables

The Alabama fruit and vegetable industry has seen some tremendous increases over the past decade. Ayanava Majumdar, Extension entomologist with Auburn University, chalks this increase up to a growing population in Alabama. Currently, fruit and vegetable production takes up about 7,000 acres of Alabama’s landscape. The industry is valued at about $161 million with a value-added production of about $103 …

Citrus Expo Presentations Now Available

Web AdminProduce, Research, Top Posts, Vegetables

The 27th annual Citrus Expo saw great success as growers piled into the Lee Civic Center on Aug. 15–16 in North Fort Myers, Florida. Growers experienced the biggest trade show in Expo history, as well as newly added vegetables and specialty crops seminar sessions. The educational program, titled “Planting Tomorrow’s Profits,” featured presentations on the latest research from the University …