When it’s safe to start planting outside. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. When the minutes of daylight starts to increase in winter, so does the yearning to get outside in the garden again. But don’t let a couple of warm days in early spring fool you into setting out your homegrown seedlings or new plant babies from …
AFBF President Testifies Before House Agriculture Committee
American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) President Zippy Duvall provided testimony before the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture Climate Change and the U.S. Agriculture and Forestry Sectors. Here is his written testimony: Mr. Chairman and members of the Committee, my name is Zippy Duvall. I am a third-generation farmer and president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, and I am pleased to offer this …
Virtual Commodity Classic Coming in March
The 2021 Special Edition of Commodity Classic will be delivered digitally March 2-5, 2021, and during this special event, three Executive Roundtables will be held. Some of the top executives in agribusiness will discuss what the next 20 years will look like in American agriculture. The first roundtable will take place on March 3 and will feature top executives from …
GDA Produce Safety Alliance Holding Virtual Training Session
A few weeks ago, the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) held a 2-day virtual Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training where the slots filled up quick. We told you then they were already working on plans to hold another training. According to GDA Produce Safety Education and Outreach Coordinator Maggie Brown, sign-up for that virtual training is underway. These Grower Training …
Fried on International Trade Commission Vote on Imported Blueberries
(FDACS) — The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) ruled that blueberries were not being imported into the United States in such quantities as to harm the domestic blueberry industry nationwide. Earlier this month, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried testified before the ITC that Mexico’s market share for blueberries had skyrocketed 2,100 percent since 2009, while Florida’s market share decreased 38 percent since 2015, indicating …
Exotic, Peculiar Looking Melon with a Unique Flavor
An exotic and peculiar looking melon with a unique flavor that you can grow in your garden. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The Kiwano Melon has a yellowish-orange horned skin and looks more like a cucumber on the inside than a melon. They have a wonderfully unique flavor, something like banana mixed with lime. These horned melons …
Researchers Help Expand Indoor Gardening Trend Triggered by Pandemic
(UF/IFAS) — COVID-19 led many people to start gardening, and it’s no passing fancy. Recent research shows that about 80% of those who took up gardening since the beginning of COVID-19 will continue the pastime in 2021. Growing in the outdoor garden is one thing. Tending to plants indoors at home presents other challenges and opportunities. As they recognized the …
Treating the Plant Pathogen Verticillium Wilt Naturally
Common plant pathogens and how to treat them naturally. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. If you’re familiar with verticillium wilt and various leaf blights, then you’ve already met a couple of the worst bacterial plant pathogens. Although these are soil-borne, they’re generally distributed by insects. Bugs bite through stems or roots, and the bacteria in their filthy …
Treating the Plant Pathogen Powdery Mildew Naturally
Common plant pathogens and how to treat them naturally. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Powdery Mildew is a fungal infection caused by a range of fungi known to attack all manner of different plant families. It has been known to annihilate entire crops and can be difficult to get rid of. You’ll recognize it by its description, …
Treating More Common Plant Pathogens Naturally
Common plant pathogens and how to treat them naturally. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Rust blight is easy to identify because of the hue that gives it its name. Basically, it causes rust-colored pustules on the plants it infects. It also thrives in wet weather but prefers cool temperatures rather than hot. You’ll recognize it by the …