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 that would address major priorities tied to research, nutrition and trade laid out in the group’s 2023 Farm Bill recommendations: “The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance has …
Persimmon Production and Challenges
By Maegan Beatty Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) is a round fruit crop that is native to China, Northeast India, and northern Indochina. In the United States, it is typically grown in California, Florida and southeastern Texas. While California is the leading state in persimmon production, Florida is a close second. Farmers and researchers across the state are implementing new practices in …
July 4th Cookout Prices Up by 17%
This year’s Independence Day cookouts will have consumers paying a lot more for their favorite backyard food fare. They will pay $69.68 for their summer cookout foods, including cheeseburgers, pork chops, chicken breasts, homemade potato salad, strawberries and ice cream, based on a new American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) marketbasket survey. The average cost of a summer cookout for 10 …
Beware of Squash Bugs in Cucurbits
By Gene McAvoy The squash bug (Anasa tristis) attacks squash and other cucurbits throughout Central and North America. Several related species in the same genus coexist with squash bug over most of its range, feeding on the same plants but causing much less injury. IDENTIFICATION The adult is dark grayish brown in color, and the abdomen may be marked with …
Summer Weed Management Tips
By Clint Thompson Successful weed management programs this summer involve an integrated approach. No longer can farmers rely on just herbicides to overcome all of their weed issues. Other components must factor into the program, says Nathan Boyd, associate center director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Gulf Coast Research and Education Center and …