IFPA’s Burns Joins Specialty Crop Coalition

Web AdminSpecialty Crops

WASHINGTON, D.C. (October 23, 2023) – The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance (SCFBA) announced on Monday that Cathy Burns, chief executive officer of the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA), has joined the coalition as a co-chair. The SCFBA was established to advocate for the unique needs of specialty crop growers in the Farm Bill and enhance their overall competitiveness in …

Sprouts Farmers Market named FFVA Customer of the Year  

Web AdminIndustry News Release, Specialty Crops

The Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association honored Sprouts Farmers Market with its 2023 Customer of the Year Award during FFVA’s 79th annual convention at The Ritz-Carlton in Naples last month.  The annual award recognizes the important role that food service and retail merchandising play in the promotion and sale of fresh Florida produce. It is given to a valued partner …

U.S. Specialty Crop Coalition Endorses Legislation Addressing Nutrition and Organics 

Web AdminFarm Bill, Legislative, Specialty Crops

The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance (SCFBA), a national coalition of more than 200 specialty crop organizations representing growers of fruits, vegetables, dried fruit, tree nuts, nursery plants and other products, has endorsed nutrition and organic bills that cover key policy priorities outlined in the group’s 2023 Farm Bill recommendations:  “The U.S. specialty crop industry is crucial to our national …

4Roots Farm: Connecting Local Farms with Urban Communities

Web AdminFruits, Specialty Crops, Vegetables

By Frank Giles Florida is one of the fastest growing states in the nation with a population of more than 22 million people. Urban centers like Orlando and the I-4 corridor are expanding into once rural areas. That sometimes creates friction between the farmer and newcomer, but it also creates opportunities and new markets for produce grown on the farm. …

Always Seeking Alternatives

Web AdminFlorida, Specialty Crops

By Frank Giles Farmers, by nature, are industrious and curious about finding new ways to become more efficient and profitable. That includes finding the next big crop that could diversify the farm and spread risk. In Florida, the desire to find alternative crops has intensified as citrus acreage has declined in recent years. Often, these crops face obstacles like lack …

U.S. Specialty Crop Coalition Endorses Legislation Addressing Research, Nutrition and Trade

Web AdminSpecialty Crops

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance (SCFBA), a national coalition of more than 200 specialty crop organizations representing growers of fruits, vegetables, dried fruit, tree nuts, nursery plants and other products, endorsed legislation last week that would address major priorities tied to research, nutrition and trade laid out in the group’s 2023 Farm Bill recommendations: “The Specialty …

How to Build a Strong Brand

Web AdminAgri-business, Florida, Specialty Crops

By Tiffany Bailey Building a strong brand is essential for any business, including smaller organic farms that grow specialty and/or alternative crops. Here are some ways growers of specialty or alternative crops, often categorized as niche farming, can help their farms build a strong brand. UNIQUE IDENTITY AND STORYTELLINGNiche farming often involves cultivating unique crops that are not as common …

Hurricane Idalia’s Impact on Specialty Crops

Web AdminSpecialty Crops, Weather

By Maegan Beatty  What started as a tropical storm, Hurricane Idalia hit landfall as a Category 3 hurricane on Florida’s Gulf Coast. Idalia made landfall this past Wednesday morning near Keaton Beach, which is about 75 miles southwest of Tallahassee. Idalia left hundreds of thousands of people without power in Florida and Georgia.   The storm has had many effects on …

Tri-County Agricultural Area: Where Tradition Meets Technology

Web AdminAgriculture Technology, Citrus, Specialty Crops, Vegetables

By Frank Giles There are a few farming regions in Florida and around the country that have carved out unique identities and are quickly recognized by their names. The Tri-County Agricultural Area (TCAA) is one such place. Comprised of St. Johns, Putnam and Flagler counties, the TCAA has roots dating back to the very beginning of agriculture in the state. …