April 25, 2024
Agriculture
Water Farms Helping South Florida Go With the Flow
Last month, Florida experienced its rainiest May on record. And just think, the wet season is only getting started in the Sunshine State. With the earlier-than-normal super soaking, and no let-up in the immediate offing, a public-private partnership between the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) and Caulkins Citrus Co. has been working at full capacity to store local stormwater runoff and help reduce U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' discharges from Lake Okeechobee to the St. Lucie Estuary.
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Published on 6/26/2018
Where Have All the Florida Grapefruit Gone?
Twenty years ago, the life of a Florida citrus grower was pretty sweet – at least compared to modern times. Back in the 1997-1998 season, Florida grapefruit producers harvested and packed a record 49.5 million boxes. Fast forward to today and that number now stands at a projected 3.88 million boxes for the 2017-2018 campaign, according to the latest USDA citrus crop estimate.
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Published on 6/18/2018
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Begins Efforts to Eradicate Exotic Fruit Fly
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has positively identified the presence of three Oriental fruit flies, Bactrocera dorsalis, in south Miami-Dade County. The initial fly was discovered during routine trapping, and additional flies were discovered during expanded trapping activities.
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Published on 6/6/2018
Effects of hurricane linger for Florida avocados
Florida avocado volume is expected to be significantly lower this season. “Hurricane Irma did a number on Florida avocados,” said Mary Ostlund, director of marketing for Homestead, Fla.-based Brooks Tropicals.
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Published on 5/30/2018
Pest Alert Triggered in Florida After Rare Fruit Fly Find
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services' Division of Plant Industry (FDACS-DPI) has issued a pest alert, indicating a male peach fruit fly — Bactrocera zonata(Saunders) (Tephritidae) — was captured in a detection trap last week in Lake Worth (Palm Beach County). A second male was then captured less than two miles away one day later, also in Lake Worth. According to FDACS-DPI, this is only the second time this pest species has been found in Florida. A previous detection was made in November 2010 in Miami-Dade County.
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Published on 5/22/2018
Florida Scientist Stands Strong in Support of Citrus Nurseries
Florida citrus nurseries face unique challenges in the production of citrus nursery stock and the propagation of commercial citrus trees.
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Published on 5/21/2018
USDA Crop report: Orange Production Down Slightly from April Forecast
Winter Wheat Production Down 6 Percent from 2017
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Published on 5/11/2018
Statement by Commissioner Adam Putnam on Updated Citrus Crop Forecast, Disaster Assistance
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam released the following statement on May 10 after the U.S. Department of Agriculture released its monthly citrus crop forecast for the 2017-2018 season:
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Published on 5/11/2018
Perdue Announces Florida Citrus Hurricane Recovery Details
USDA will provide $340 million through a block grant to the State of Florida for Hurricane Irma losses to citrus production expected during the 2018 through the 2020 crop year, reimbursement for the cost of buying and planting replacement trees – including resetting and grove rehabilitation, and for repair of damages to irrigation systems among other things.
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Published on 5/2/2018
USDA Implements up to $2.36 Billion to Help Agricultural Producers Recover after 2017 Hurricanes and Wildfires
‘2017 Wildfires and Hurricanes Indemnity Program' to Aid Recovery in Rural Communities
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Published on 4/25/2018
Single Breakthrough Discovery for Citrus Greening Disease in Florida Unlikely
Report from the the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine calls for a master plan to coordinate research efforts and management
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Published on 4/11/2018
Commissioner Adam Putnam's Statement on USDA's Disaster Aid Implementation
Following U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue's announcement today that the USDA will begin implementing disaster payments of up to $2.36 billion in response to 2017 hurricanes and wildfires, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam issued the following statement:
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Published on 4/9/2018
Gov. Scott: USDA Disaster Funding Welcome, Florida Citrus Growers Must be Protected
On Friday, Governor Rick Scott made the following statement regarding the U.S. Department of Agriculture's announcement of $2.36 billion in funding to aid the agricultural industry's recovery from wildfires and hurricanes in 2017. Details on the aid for Florida's Citrus industry's recovery are still being decided by the USDA.
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Published on 4/9/2018
USDA Implements up to $2.36 Billion to Help Agricultural Producers Recover after 2017 Hurricanes and Wildfires
‘2017 Wildfires and Hurricanes Indemnity Program' to Aid Recovery in Rural Communities
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Published on 4/9/2018
Florida Farmers Say Year-Round Daylight Saving Time Should Be Nationwide
Permanent daylight saving time would greatly impact Florida agriculture.
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Published on 3/28/2018
Industrial Hemp on the Radar for Florida Farmers and Researchers
The University of Florida Board of Trustees has given the OK for UF/IFAS researchers to develop hemp management and cropping systems. The move is an important step to test the viability of what could become a valuable alternative crop for the state's agriculture producers.
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Published on 3/27/2018
Growers optimistic for Florida peach crop
Florida peach growers see interest in their fruit increasing and anticipate a strong crop this spring. The peaches have gotten their recommended chill hours, and quality is looking good.
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Published on 3/20/2018
Statement by Commissioner Adam H. Putnam on Updated Citrus Crop Forecast
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam released the following statement on March 8, 2018, after the U.S. Department of Agriculture released its monthly citrus crop forecast for the 2017-2018 season:
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Published on 3/15/2018
Mosaic's Next Chapter
The successful Streamsong development has provided phosphate mining company Mosaic with part of the template for its future, but not a whole plan.
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Published on 2/27/2018
J&J Family of Farms Introduces New Variety Sunny Sweet™ Peppers
WESTLAKE, FL – Sweet, unique, and the perfect bite-sized treat, J&J Family of Farms' new pepper variety, Sunny Sweet™ Peppers, are here and ready to refresh the pepper category with innovation.
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Published on 2/23/2018
Strawberry boss
For the last five years, Plant City strawberry grower Gary Wishnatzki has worked closely with Bob Pitzer, a robotics designer, to create a robot that harvests strawberries.
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Published on 2/22/2018
Congressional Budget Deal Gives Millions In Disaster Aid To Florida's Citrus Farmers
Florida citrus farmers are praising the passage of the spending bill in the U.S. Congress. Included in the budget plan is $90 billion dollars in disaster relief. Around $2 billion is earmarked for Florida farmers battered by Hurricane Irma, with $700 million going directly to the state's citrus industry.
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Published on 2/12/2018
Florida Researchers Making the Most of Alternative Crops
Alternative crops like Brussels sprouts are gaining more attention in Northeast Florida's Tri-County Agricultural Area.
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Published on 1/26/2018
University of Florida awarded $10.5 million to work on citrus greening resistance or tolerance
With citrus greening devastating Florida's $8.6 billion-a-year citrus industry, three University of Florida scientists will use $10.52 million in federal grants to study ways to help growers cope with the disease, including research on genetic editing that may produce potentially resistant fruit and trees.
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Published on 1/24/2018
Statement by Commissioner Adam Putnam on Updated Citrus Crop Forecast, Need for Federal Assistance
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam released the following statement today after the U.S. Department of Agriculture released its monthly citrus crop forecast for the 2017-2018 season:
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Published on 1/15/2018
