Growing Perfect Peaches in Colder Climates

Cathy Isom has some great tips about growing perfect peaches even in colder climates. That’s coming up on This Land of ours. Peaches are typically grown in warm areas. There’s a reason the state of Georgia is associated with this orange-colored fruit. Peaches thrive in warm weather and full sunlight.  As with any fruit tree, it’s crucial to pick a …

Florida Governor Signs Hemp Bill

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has been busy signing various bills the past few days, one of those being SB 1020. This bill creates the state hemp program that will be administered by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The program will regulate cultivation of hemp, addressing issues such as the licensing of growers. According to the News Service …

Commissioner Nikki Fried on Florida Hemp Bill Signed Into Law

Tallahassee, Fla. (FDACS) – SB 1020, the state hemp legislation was signed into law. Commissioner Nicole “Nikki” Fried offered the following statement: “Tonight’s hemp bill signing marks a transformation in Florida, and a critical step on the journey to creating a green industrial revolution, strengthening agriculture with an alternative crop of the future, and expanding access to safe, quality CBD …

Scouting and Managing Spider Mites in Vegetables

AUBURN UNIVERSITY, Ala. (ACES) – Summertime can be a productive season for growing vegetables. However, it is also a time that can be hot and dry. These are the perfect conditions for spider mites, a pest that can cause widespread damage quickly. When present in high numbers, they can be pests for many aspects of farming There are many species …

Novel Watermelon Rootstock Knocks Out Disease and Pests

CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA (USDA/ARS) — A new watermelon line, developed by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and Clemson University scientists, gets to the root of the problem of a major disease and pest of watermelon crops in the southern United States. Carolina Strongback is a rootstock watermelon that is resistant to Fusarium wilt and the southern root-knot nematode, according to William “Pat” …

Final Hemp Rulemaking Workshop Held in North Florida

Tallahassee, Fla. (FDACS) – Commissioner Nicole “Nikki” Fried joined key Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services officials to host the third public hemp rulemaking workshop at the R.A. Gray Building in Tallahassee. Today’s workshop was the third and final in a series of three events which took place in South, Central, and North Florida designed to ensure anyone interested in …

State Officials Prepare for Hemp Industry

With Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis facing a deadline this week to act on the hemp bill, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services held a final public workshop Monday as it prepares to carry out a measure that would lead to a state hemp program. The bill (SB 1020) would require the department to create a regulatory framework to …

Second Hemp Rulemaking Workshop Held in Central Florida

Tampa, Fla. (FDACS) — Commissioner Nicole “Nikki” Fried joined key Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services officials to host the second public hemp rulemaking workshop at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa. “The goal of these workshops is to hear from the public on the coming state hemp program — to create a successful and inclusive program, it’s essential …

Commissioner Fried Hosts First Hemp Rulemaking Workshop in South Florida

Pembroke Pines, Fla. (FDACS) –Commissioner Nicole “Nikki” Fried joined key Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) officials to host the first public hemp rulemaking workshop at Broward College in Pembroke Pines. “The upcoming state hemp program marks a new industrial revolution — after eighty years of stalled progress, we can finally put hemp to work for farmers, entrepreneurs, …