Millions in Agricultural Crops at Risk as Dorian Approaches Florida

Dan Alabama, Cattle, Citrus, Field Crops, Florida, Forestry, Fruits, General, Georgia, Industry, Industry News Release, Livestock, Nursery Crops, Organic, Specialty Crops, Sugar, Vegetables, Water, Weather

GAINESVILLE, FL (UF/IFAS) — If Hurricane Dorian makes landfall mid-way up Florida’s Atlantic Coast – as many models predicted Thursday afternoon – the storm could devastate not only Central Florida tourist destinations, but also the region’s agricultural areas, which include significant acreage devoted to citrus, vegetable, ornamental plant and cattle production. Economists and Extension faculty with the University of Florida …

Growing Big, Red, Juicy, Beefsteak Tomatoes

Dan Fruits, Specialty Crops, This Land of Ours, Vegetables

In today’s program, Cathy Isom tells a bit about growing your own beefsteak tomatoes. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Beefsteaks are the biggest type of tomato, with fruit often weighing over a pound. These big, red, juicy, tomatoes have thick, plump flesh that’s nothing short of a taste sensation. The large, meaty fruit of the beefsteak tomato …

Perdue Comments on New Draft Suspension Agreement on Fresh Tomatoes from Mexico

Dan Exports/Imports, Field Crops, Fruits, Industry News Release, Specialty Crops, Vegetables

Washington, D.C. (USDA) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued the following statement after U.S. Department of Commerce announced a new Draft Suspension Agreement on Fresh Tomatoes from Mexico: “I want to thank my colleagues at the U.S. Department of Commerce for working diligently to reach a mutually beneficial agreement for tomato growers in both the U.S. and Mexico. …

U.S. Department of Commerce Announces a New Draft Suspension Agreement on Fresh Tomatoes from Mexico

Dan Field Crops, Fruits, Industry News Release, Specialty Crops, Vegetables

WASHINGTON, D.C. (USDOC) —The U.S. Department of Commerce initialed a draft agreement with Mexican tomato growers to suspend the ongoing antidumping (AD) investigation of fresh tomatoes from Mexico, ensuring that the domestic tomato industry will be protected from unfair trade. “For many years, there have been disputes over the roughly $2 billion worth of tomatoes that are imported from Mexico …

‘Sweet Grown Alabama’ Statewide Agricultural Branding Program Launches

Dan Alabama, Field Crops, Fruits, Industry News Release, Specialty Crops, Vegetables

Shoppers looking to buy local and support Alabama farmers will soon have a new way to identify locally grown products with the Sweet Grown Alabama logo.  “As I travel across the state, most of the questions I receive from consumers are about their food and where it comes from,” said Commissioner Rick Pate of the Alabama Department of Agriculture and …

UF/IFAS Researchers Honored for Avocado Integrated Pest Management

Dan Florida, Fruits, Industry News Release, Research, Specialty Crops

(UF/IFAS) — University of Florida officials recognized a team of research scientists with a High Impact Research Publication award for an article published in the May 2018 edition of Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, an international scholarly science journal. The publication, “Identification of the Achilles heels of the laurel wilt pathogen and its beetle vector,” introduces new pest management tactics for …

DOC Announces Preliminary Dumping Margin on Mexican Tomato Imports

Dan Fruits, Industry News Release, Vegetables

Department of Commerce Refutes Mexican Claims of No Dumping:Announces Preliminary Dumping Margin of 25% on Mexican Tomato Imports On July 24, the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) announced that Mexican tomatoes are being dumped in the United States.  The preliminary average dumping margin is 25.28 percent. This announcement refutes the recent Mexican claims that the data submitted to the DOC …

UF/IFAS Researchers Use AI to Take the Guesswork out of Fruit Pricing

Dan Florida, Fruits, Industry News Release, Research

GAINESVILLE, FL (UF/IFAS) — Pricing fruit comes down to a bit of art and some science for farmers. But new technology from the University of Florida may remove some of that guesswork. “Growers often rely on their gut to estimate a price for their crop,” said Daniel Lee, a professor of agricultural and biological engineering at the UF Institute of …

Growing Tomatoes in Hanging Baskets

Dan Fruits, This Land of Ours, Vegetables

Cathy Isom reviews the different varieties, as well as gives you tips for growing tomatoes in hanging baskets. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Having your own freshly-picked homegrown tomatoes can still be done even if your short on space, like a small garden or even a balcony. That’s because tomatoes will happily grow in hanging baskets.  Additionally, …