Tickets on Sale for the 2024 Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame Banquet

Frank GilesAgribusiness, Awards

Tickets are on sale for the annual Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame banquet, which will honor three inductees who have made invaluable contributions to Florida agriculture. The Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 13.  The banquet celebrates the accomplishments of industry leaders who have served in research, education and business. This year’s event will be …

Peaches in Florida: Low Chill Hours Makes Production Challenging

Clint ThompsonFlorida, Peaches

By Clint Thompson Chill hours in Florida have been extremely low in recent years. It makes producing peaches, even those requiring minimal chill hours, challenging, if not impossible. Ali Sarkhosh, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) assistant professor in horticultural sciences, spoke about peach production in Florida at the recent Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference …

Florida Report Looks at Conservation vs. Development Scenarios

Frank GilesAgribusiness, Environment, Urban Sprawl

The University of Florida Center for Landscape Conservation Planning Provides Agriculture 2040/2070 Report is another strong signal of the importance of preserving agriculture and green spaces. Roughly a third of Florida’s land is currently in agriculture, but urban development and, on a much smaller scale, sea level rise are projected to result in the loss of about 120 acres of agricultural land a …

Florida Blueberry Producer: Expect Full Bloom Maybe By Saturday

Clint ThompsonBlueberries, Florida

By Clint Thompson One Florida blueberry producer expects full bloom by the end of this week. The timing is comparable to previous years, says Ryan Atwood, who lives in Mount Dora, Florida and farms 56 acres of blueberries and manages another 350 acres. “I’m expecting to be in full bloom maybe by Saturday. There’s no such thing as a typical …

El Niño Aftermath: Florida Strawberry Producers Behind on Volume

Clint ThompsonFlorida, Strawberries

By Clint Thompson Persistent rainy days and cloudy weather in recent weeks have impacted strawberry production in South Florida. Producers like Matt Parke are behind with their volume due to the lack of sunshine in the region. “I’d say 70% of the days have been overcast with no sun since the season started. Production is off, and we’re throwing fruit …

Peak Strawberry Season Means More Florida-Grown Flavorful Fruit at Market

Clint ThompsonFlorida, Strawberry

Florida is at the height of its strawberry harvesting season – a time when the state’s growers are doing all they can to ensure consumers can choose from among the best at the market. “It has been an incredible Florida strawberry season in terms of flavor and quality,” said Kenneth Parker, executive director of the Florida Strawberry Growers Association. Parker …

Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson, Legislative Leaders Launch Hurricane Idalia Recovery Programs for Florida Farmers

Dan CooperAgribusiness, Economy, Legislative, Specialty Crops

The Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson and legislative leaders announced the launch of two agricultural disaster recovery programs with more than $112 million in funding to assist Florida farmers in rebuilding and recovering from Hurricane Idalia. Impacted agricultural producers can now apply for the Agriculture and Aquaculture Producers Natural Disaster Recovery Loan Program and the Silviculture Recovery Program.  In …

Sweet Strawberry Season So Far in Florida

Clint ThompsonFlorida, Strawberries

By Clint Thompson The Florida strawberry season has already been deemed successful with its sensational quality. That sweet success is likely to continue as the market continues to support strong supply. “Beautiful, absolutely beautiful,” said Kenneth Parker, executive director of the Florida Strawberry Growers Association (FSGA_, regarding this year’s crop. “I would suggest that the cooler temperatures have definitely been …

South Florida’s Top Weeds in Sweet Corn

Clint ThompsonFlorida

By Calvin Odero Weed management is essential in sweet corn production to maximize yield and quality. Effective weed management practices minimize competition for nutrients, water and sunlight and help prevent diseases and pests that often thrive in weed-infested fields. Sweet corn weed management programs in South Florida are mainly comprised of chemical weed control, which includes pre-emergent herbicides applied after …

Legislation Filed to Support, Grow Florida Ag

Clint ThompsonFlorida

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson, Senator Jay Collins, and Representative Danny Alvarez announced the filing of legislation last December to support Florida agriculture and Florida’s farmers, ranchers, and growers. Commissioner Wilton Simpson said, “This legislation reflects our continued commitment to supporting and protecting Florida’s farmers, ranchers, and growers, enhancing consumer protection and transparency, and building upon …