All citrus and vegetable & specialty crop growers are being reminded today, August 15th, is the final day for the 2019 Citrus Expo and Vegetable & Specialty Crop Expo. This year’s event, taking place at the Lee Civic Center in North Fort Myers, Florida, has already seen a large crowd of attendees. Southeast AgNet’s Abbey Taylor is there and has this report. …
Final Chance to Preregister for Expo
All citrus and vegetable & specialty crop growers are being reminded Friday, August 9th is the deadline to preregister for the 2019 Citrus Expo and Vegetable & Specialty Crop Expo. This year’s event will take place August 14-15 at the Lee Civic Center in North Fort Myers, Florida. All preregistered growers will be eligible for a chance to win a …
Beneath the Earth, the ‘Black Box’ of Soil Holds a Key to Crop Growth
IMMOKALEE, Fla. (UF/IFAS) — Like much of what lies just beneath the earth’s surface, soil microbes present a mystery. University of Florida scientist Sarah Strauss seeks to help untangle the web of intrigue surrounding soil microbes to improve agricultural production in Florida and globally. “There are microbial activities going on that we don’t exactly understand. It’s known as the ‘black …
Georgia: Not Just Peaches and Peanuts
Inaugural tour introduces variety of Georgia Grown products, featuring site tours and gourmet meals. Georgia Grown, the marketing and economic development program of the Georgia Department of Agriculture, wants everyone to know that the state produces more than just peaches and peanuts. That’s why Georgia Grown is hosting international and national media guests, grocery buyer executives, state officials and culinary …
APHIS Launches Webpage for Pests and Diseases
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is launching a new “Pests and Diseases” webpage. The new page lists all pest and disease programs managed by APHIS as part of its mission to protect American agriculture and natural resources. On the new page, users can search by type (plant, animal), keyword (avian, fruit fly, cotton), …
USDA Provides Funding to Florida to Support Projects that Protect Agriculture and Natural Resources
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is allocating $7.2 million to Florida as part of its effort to strengthen the nation’s infrastructure for pest detection and surveillance, identification, and threat mitigation, and to safeguard the U.S. nursery production system. Overall, USDA is providing $66 million in funding this year to support 407 projects in 49 states, Guam, Puerto Rico, and …
Florida Set to Receive Funds as USDA Awards $200 Million to Agriculture Organizations
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a $200 million award to 57 organizations through the Agricultural Trade Promotion Program to help the nation’s agriculture community identify and access new export markets. The Florida Department of Citrus was one of the specified organizations and is set to receive $550,000 in funding to promote citrus in various new markets. Commissioner Nicole “Nikki” Fried shared, “We’re thrilled the USDA has provided this opportunity …
Feast on Florida-Grown Foods This Thanksgiving
As we sit down to dine during the annual Thanksgiving feast, it’s worth noting that much of what we eat comes from Florida farmers, say University of Florida researchers. Better still, scientists with the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences try to see if they can breed and grow certain crops in Florida to help growers and consumers. When …
Citrus Production Guide Provides Perfect Tool for Growers
Researchers at the Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) have revamped the Citrus Production Guide. What used to be a guide focused on pest management has stretched its scope to include horticulture and plant pathology, among other topics. Lauren Diepenbrock, an entomologist at the CREC, encourages citrus growers to grab a copy of the guide. Regarding HLB, the guide offers …
Revamping Communication with Citrus Growers
Florida citrus growers now have a one-stop-shop for everything citrus research coming out of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). A new website, monthly enewsletter and monthly podcast was announced by UF/IFAS last month during the Citrus Expo. Jack Payne, senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources with UF, says this “All In for …