From trade and the Farm Bill to labor and food safety, several major policy issues facing specialty crop growers could see important developments in Washington over the coming months. Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association President Mike Joyner joined AgNet Media for an in-depth conversation about those issues and what they could mean for growers in Florida and across the nation’s …
After months of negotiations, Congress is preparing to take another significant step toward a new Farm Bill. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman has scheduled a committee markup of the Agricultural Act of 2026 for Thursday morning. During the markup, senators will review the legislation, debate proposed amendments and decide whether to send the bill to the full Senate for …
A broad coalition of more than 50 national and state agricultural organizations is urging Congress to approve at least $12 billion in additional agricultural relief as part of the House budget reconciliation package, citing continued financial challenges facing farmers, ranchers, growers and producers across the country. In a letter sent July 21 to House Speaker Mike Johnson and House Minority …
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 …
