By Will Jordan The 2023 peach harvest will look different than usual with an estimated 90% crop loss this spring due two adverse weather factors. The lack of adequate winter chill and the spring freeze growers experienced in mid-March combined to decimate this year’s fruit production. Matthew Price, Director of the Chilton Research and Extension Center, explained why peaches will …
Mango Industry Seeing Unprecedented Growth
Big growth in the mango industry. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The mango industry is having record volume of high-quality fruit arriving in the U.S. this year. Mango volume for the past three weeks has topped the charts at 4.4M, 5.1M and 4.6M boxes per week. The National Mango Board has engaged its growers, importers, and retailers …
Apples and Oranges Top U. S. Fruit Choices
These are the top fruit choices in the United States. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Apples held the top spot for total fruit available for consumption in 2021 at more than 26 pounds per person after adjusting for losses. USDA’s Economic Research Service’s (ERS) loss-adjusted food availability data adjusts the data for food spoilage, plate waste, and …
Powdery Mildew Confirmed in North Florida Melons
By Clint Thompson Another week of watermelon production in Florida’s Suwannee Valley region, another confirmation of a potentially devastating disease. Fortunately, it appears that producers were ready for powdery mildew disease, says Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) regional specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, Florida. “It is confirmation, sort of like the downy …
Some Food Prices Rise in April
Some food prices are creeping up again. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization reports that food prices rose in April for the first time in a year. The organization says the increases stem from higher sugar, meat, and rice prices. The Food Price Index, which tracks the international prices of commonly-traded …
Celebrating Cinco de Mango
The National Mango Board wants to help you celebrate Cinco de Mango. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The National Mango Board has added something extra to this year’s “Cinco de Mango” campaign. Upon visiting the “Party with Mango” page on Mango.org, visitors will be greeted with suggested mango recipes to make their Cinco de Mayo fiesta pop and …
Inflation Impacting Organic Fresh Produce Sales
Inflation is having an impact on another industry. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Inflation continued to impact organic fresh produce sales in the first quarter of 2023. Overall dollar sales grew by slightly less than one percent, and volume declined by 3.4 percent from the same year-over-year period. The data was released by the Organic Produce Network …
Florida Farmers Challenge Feds Over Wage Rule
(NSF/TALLAHASSEE/April 25, 2023) — Warning about a “looming disaster,” Florida farmers and agriculture groups have filed a lawsuit seeking to block a new federal rule about wages for farmworkers. The lawsuit, filed Friday in federal court in Tampa, centers on a minimum wage related to temporary farmworkers coming into the United States under what are known as H-2A visas. The …
Ian Florida Agriculture Losses Estimated at $1B
(NSF/TALLAHASSEE, FL/February 9, 2023) — Hurricane Ian caused an estimated $1 billion in agricultural-production losses, with the biggest hits to the citrus industry, along with growers of vegetables and melons, according to a new University of Florida report. The report from the UF-Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences also doesn’t include damage to such things as buildings and equipment, which …
Chocolate Market Growing
Chocolate is getting even more popular. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The global cocoa and chocolate market is seeing a growth spurt. According to a new research report, the global cocoa and chocolate market size & share was valued at $46.4 billion in 2021 and is projected to hit $69.1 Billion by 2030. Cocoa and chocolate are made from the cacao tree and …