This is the first in a series of reports we will be posting in coming days featuring Patrick Woodall, a spokesman for a consumer advocacy group based in Washington D C who says international trade deals over recent years have greatly changed what is available to U S consumers when it comes to fruits and vegetables. In this report, Woodall …
SFWMD Approves U S Sugar Deal
Here’s the news release from U S Sugar, released shortly after the SFWMD meetings this week. SFWMD APPROVES HISTORIC DEAL TO EFFECT REAL AND MEANINGFUL RESTORATION OF FLORIDA’S EVERGLADES CLEWISTON – (U S Sugar Corp.) — December 16, 2008 — After many months of tough negotiations and due diligence, the South Florida Water Management District Governing Board approved the contract …
BMP’s for Pest Management in Vegetable Crops
This information, and this vegetable BMP document (click here) come to us from Gene McAvoy, County Extension Director and Regional Vegetable Agent IV in Hendry County, FL: This report summarizes the discussion and subsequent general Best Management Practice (BMP)recommendations of research and Extension vegetable entomologists and crop consultants from primary vegetable-producing states. During a meeting held in May 2008 in …
No More WTO Talks in 2008
In this report, comments from the Director General of the World Trade Organization about the status of the long-stalled agriculture trade talks in the present Doha Round. It appears there will be no further attempts this year to get the stalled talks going again.
Regional Fruit and Veggie Conference Jan 9-11 in Savannah GA
In this report, more details about this upcoming regional fruit and vegetable conference from Charles Hall of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association (GFVGA). GFVGA organizes and hosts this conference each year, and it has become a major meeting of fruit and vegetable interests from throughout the southeastern U. S. Find more information on the conference, its agenda and …
U S Sugar Pres/CEO Publishes Open Letter re SFWMD Buyout
President/CEO of U. S. Sugar Corporation, Robert H. Buker, Jr. goes on record today with this letter: Dear Employees and Stockholders: As you know, on December 8, 2008, your Company approved and entered into an agreement with the South Florida Water Management District (the “District”) to sell to the District for $1.34 billion substantially all of your Company’s real estate …
FL Farm Bureau Opposes U.S. Sugar Buyout by SFWMD
Florida Farm Bureau President John L. Hoblick today issued the following statement: At its meeting on Dec. 10, the board of directors of the Florida Farm Bureau Federation (FFBF), the state’s largest general interest agricultural organization, declared its opposition to the acquisition of U.S. Sugar Corp. lands by the South Florida Water Management District. The Federation firmly supports the rights …
California Citrus Industry Leaders Take Florida HLB Tour
During the recent International Research Conference on Huanglongbing in Orlando, some of the participants took a field trip to witness first hand the disease known to many Florida growers as “citrus greening”. Florida Citrus Mutual spokesman Andrew Meadows was among those helping to organize tour stops and discussions, and talks to our listeners about what went on. HLB Conference Coverage …
Specialty Crops Foundation Works on Food Safety Issues
In this report, more with Florida Specialty Crops Foundation executive Mike Carlton, this time discussing the food safety aspects of the industry. In a food safety scare situation for example, erroneous reporting and misguided government actions can devastate any agriculture industry with mis-steps or inaccurate information, such as the recent situation where tomotoes were wrongly blamed for foodborne illness that …
U S Sugar Corp BOD Approves Sale to SFWMD
CLEWISTON — December 8, 2008 — U.S. Sugar Corporation announced that its Board of Directors today approved the contract to sell approximately 180,000 acres of its real estate assets to the South Florida Water Management District. “After many months of negotiations and careful deliberation, the U.S. Sugar Board of Directors has approved the contract to sell its real estate assets …