For years, conversations surrounding Florida citrus have often centered on challenges: HLB, hurricanes, freezes and shrinking production. But today, there is a different feeling taking hold across the industry. That renewed sense of optimism will be on full display at the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo Aug. 12-13 in Fort Myers, where the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) is returning …
As cotton moves through the growing season, maintaining adequate potassium levels is critical for reducing plant stress and protecting yield potential. According to Gabe Saxon, Regional Agronomist with AgroLiquid, growers should focus on preventing potassium deficiencies rather than reacting to them after symptoms appear. “Potassium management in cotton needs to be proactive,” Saxon said. “We need to make sure that …
Researchers across the Cotton Belt have spent the past year evaluating management strategies after cotton jassid was first confirmed in the southeastern United States. During a recent interview with Southeast AgNet, Corteva Technical Field Agronomist Jared Walls discussed the work being done alongside university researchers and highlighted one product that has shown promising results in field trials. Walls credited university …
Verdant Robotics is helping growers improve application efficiency through artificial intelligence and precision spraying technology. During a recent interview with Southeast AgNet, Chad Yagow, Director of Agronomy Industry Relations and Regulatory Affairs for Verdant Robotics, explained how the company’s Sharpshooter system uses advanced imaging to distinguish crops from weeds and apply products only where they’re needed. Yagow said the system …
As hurricane season progresses, UF/IFAS Extension and the U.S. Department of Agriculture are encouraging Florida growers to take steps now to prepare their operations before a storm is in the forecast. While the Atlantic hurricane season officially runs from June 1 through Nov. 30, the most active part of the season historically occurs from mid-August through October. Preparing ahead of …
The Trump administration’s efforts to expand agricultural exports and reduce the nation’s agricultural trade deficit are beginning to show measurable results, according to USDA Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Under Secretary Luke Lindberg. In an interview with Southeast AgNet, Lindberg said the administration inherited a projected $50 billion agricultural trade deficit but has already seen significant improvement. “We’re forecasting about …
One of the biggest policy stories affecting agriculture this week is now officially on Capitol Hill. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson has introduced the Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act of 2026, a bipartisan bill aimed at overhauling the H-2A guest worker program that many fruit, vegetable and nursery growers rely on. The legislation has been assigned H.R. 9535 and …
Cotton acreage is on the rise across much of the Southeast this year, according to USDA’s latest Acreage Report. Growers in Georgia, Alabama and Florida all expanded planted acres over last season, reflecting continued optimism despite ongoing market and weather challenges. The new numbers come from the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Becky Sommer, Chair of the USDA NASS Agricultural …
President Donald Trump is asking Congress to approve more than $11 billion in additional agricultural assistance, including $10 billion in economic aid for producers across the country and another $1.1 billion specifically for Florida farmers recovering from devastating winter storms and freezes. The request is part of a larger supplemental funding package now before Congress. Florida Farm Bureau Federation President …
The U.S. Supreme Court has handed Bayer-owned Monsanto a major legal victory in a decision that could reshape future pesticide litigation in the United States. In a 7-2 ruling, the Court found that federal law prevents states from allowing failure-to-warn lawsuits against pesticide manufacturers when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved a product’s label without requiring additional warnings. …
