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Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Specialty Crops”
by Sabrina Halvorson The specialty crop industry wants farm bill funding for research and new programs, but lawmakers ask, where’s that money coming from? Dave Puglia, president and CEO of Western Growers and co-chair of the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance says it’s hard to say what is the most important of all the priorities for specialty crops in the …
by Sabrina Halvorson As U.S. lawmakers consider ways to prevent Mexico’s seasonal produce from flooding U.S. markets, Mexican trade officials are watching. Former Chief Trade Negotiator for Mexico and current partner at AGON, Kenneth Smith Ramos says the U.S. must remember to remain within the confines of the U.S-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement (USMCA) as it looks at ways to protect domestic …
(NSF/TALLAHASSEE, FL/May 23, 2023) — Gov. Ron DeSantis and the state Cabinet on Tuesday approved spending nearly $100 million on land deals that will secure about 36,000 acres as part of a growing wildlife corridor. The 12 land deals are part of the Florida Forever program and the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program. They involve purchasing conservation easements, which …
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 …
There are extra considerations for specialty crops when creating farm bill priorities. It wasn’t until 2008 that Specialty Crops were specifically included in the Farm Bill with the introduction of the Horticulture Title. However, Jacqlyn Schneider, FGS Global partner for food and agriculture, and a former top aide to Senate Ag Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, explains specialty crops have had other …
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 …
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 …
Few programs within the farm bill are designed for specialty crops, and even fewer are designed specifically for specialty crops. However, the Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops (TASC) program is just that, and the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance wants to keep the program how it was intended twenty years ago. TASC was first passed in the 2002 farm bill. …
(NSF/TALLAHASSEE,FL/May 9, 2023) — Black farmers who didn’t make the cut last year could have another opportunity to vie for medical-marijuana licenses, under a bill approved by lawmakers in the final days of the 2023 legislative session. The bill, which awaits a decision by Gov. Ron DeSantis, is part of years-long efforts aimed at giving Black farmers an entry into …
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 …
