Efforts continue to wrap up both the cotton and peanut harvests. USDA Meteorologist Brad Rippey notes cotton harvest picked up this past week in most areas. Rippey has the latest look at the nation’s peanut harvest which is close to seeing an end. In Alabama, cotton harvest was 81% complete, while last year it was at 90%. The 5-year average is 83%. As …
Interesting Facts About One of the World’s Oldest Fruits
Some interesting facts about one of the world’s oldest cultivated fruits. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Pomegranates have earned a reputation as a nutritional powerhouse, but they aren’t exactly the easiest fruits to seed or prepare. We will get into that later in the next couple of programs. Pomegranates are one of the world’s oldest cultivated fruits. …
UF/IFAS Researchers Help Wineries Capitalize on Carbonation Craving
Oenophiles rejoice! University of Florida researchers are helping wineries make their product bubbly to meet taste trends and expand their business. Andrew MacIntosh, a UF/IFAS assistant professor of food science and human nutrition, is working with Florida wineries to teach and encourage more of them to produce carbonated wine. About one in 10 Florida wineries currently carbonate, and they use the …
Georgia Congressmen Request Investigation on Squash and Cucumbers
(GFVGA) — Congressmen Austin Scott, Sanford Bishop, Rick Allen and Buddy Carter continue to fight for Georgia produce farmers and against unfair trade practices with Mexico. In a letter sent to U.S. Trade Representative, USTR, Robert Lighthizer, the congressmen requested that the current Section 332 investigation for strawberries and bell pepper be broadened to include the impact seasonal cucumber and …
Looking at 2020 Peanut Production Numbers
The latest forecast for 2020 U.S. peanut production shows some pretty good numbers. Tyron Spearman runs through the latest figures. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Production ResearchMay 8, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Opportunities to Develop Preliminary Data For Future Grant ProjectsMay 1, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Critical Funding To Enhance Brahman GeneticsApril 24, 2026Strong Relationship Exists Between …
USDA Launches AskUSDA, Improves and Streamlines Customer Experience
(USDA/RD) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the official launch of the AskUSDA Contact Center program. The AskUSDA Contact Center will serve as the “one front door” for phone, chat, and web inquires, transforming how the public interacts with USDA and providing an enhanced experience for the public. Prior to the creation and implementation of AskUSDA, members of …
Farm & Biofuel Leaders Urge Courts to Hold EPA Accountable
(RFA) — A coalition of the nation’s largest biofuels and agricultural trade groups filed a motion in the U.S. Court of Appeals in the District of Columbia asking the court to enforce its 2017 decision requiring the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to address its improper waiver of 500 million gallons of biofuel demand in the 2016 renewable volume obligation (RVO). The coalition, which includes the Renewable Fuels Association, Growth Energy, National …
Pruning Principles for High-Quality Citrus
Planting citrus varieties for fresh market production has increased in popularity. With these potentially high-value crops come concerns about management practices, including pruning. Recently, Fernando Alferez informed growers in a virtual presentation about manual pruning principles. Alferez is a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences citrus horticulturist at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center. According to Alferez, pruning …
Ag Secretary Discusses Rural Broadband Access
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue made an appearance during the National Association of Farm Broadcasters (NAFB) virtual annual convention last week. Among the topics discussed was rural access to broadband, something he noted is another vital issue that USDA is working on. “It’s vital. It’s no longer a luxury. When we first began, after the day I was sworn in, President …
Report Suggests Tighter Cattle Supplies
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released their November Cattle on Feed Report Friday, and it shows the number of cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the U.S. for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 12.0 million head on November 1, 2020. That is 1 percent above November 1, 2019. And according to a story from …