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 …

Blueberry App Developed to Help Growers Battle Diseases and Pests

(UF/IFAS) — A new University of Florida app will help the state’s blueberry growers identify and manage disease and insect injuries commonly encountered in Florida before their crop is ruined. Collectively, blueberries are a $60 million-per-year crop in Florida. Patricio Munoz, the UF/IFAS blueberry breeder and an assistant professor of horticultural sciences, came up with the vision for, and supervised …

Making a Mechanical Harvester for Fresh Blueberries

Fresh blueberries could soon be harvested by machine, not by hand, thanks to a collaborative research effort. Rod Bain has the story. Lisa DeVetter of Washington State University Extension discusses research of mechanical harvesters for produce and specific efforts to develop technology to harvest fresh blueberries. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Critical Funding To Enhance Brahman GeneticsApril 24, 2026Strong …

Why, When, and How to Prune Your Blueberries

If you have blueberries planted in your yard, or garden, then you probably ask yourself about pruning. Cathy Isom gives you a few tips about why, when, and how to prune blueberries. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Pruning is an essential part of growing any fruit crop. Pruning encourages the healthy growth of the blueberry bush. It …

Georgia: Not Just Peaches and Peanuts

Inaugural tour introduces variety of Georgia Grown products, featuring site tours and gourmet meals. Georgia Grown, the marketing and economic development program of the Georgia Department of Agriculture, wants everyone to know that the state produces more than just peaches and peanuts. That’s why Georgia Grown is hosting international and national media guests, grocery buyer executives, state officials and culinary …

Georgia Blueberry Growers Suffer Second Consecutive Year of Loss

Commissioner Gary W. Black hosted a conference call to connect Georgia blueberry growers and agricultural industry representatives with USDA Under-secretary Bill Northey to discuss recent loss assessments for the 2018 blueberry crop. According to University of Georgia Extension, overall losses of both highbush and rabbiteye varieties could exceed 60 percent. This would mark the second consecutive year of significant loss …

Southern Region Noncitrus Fruit and Nut

Key findings for the Southern Region: Avocados: Florida’s utilized production is down 13 percent from 2015 and the associated value of production is down 7 percent. The Laurel Wilt disease continues to have a negative impact on Florida avocado groves. Blueberries: The value of utilized production for the United States is down 13 percent for 2016. Georgia’s utilized production is …

Achieving ‘Bliss’: Children, Adults Differ in How They Perceive Sweetness of Fruits

by Brad Buck, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Most children want their food to taste sweet. So, do you want your child to eat a candy bar or fruit when they have a snack? A team of researchers from the University of Florida and the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Pennsylvania found children and adults differ in …