AgNet DEMO

Author: Clint

  • Produce Industry Responds to Accusations

    Workers pull weeds in a vegetable field.

    Several produce organizations, including the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association and the Florida Tomato Exchange, issued a letter to legislative leaders in defense of accusations regarding the treatment of farm workers, amid COVID-19.

    The letter was sent to Mitch McConnell, Senate Majority Leader; Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House; Charles Schumer, Senate Minority Leader; and Kevin McCarthy, House Minority Leader.

    The joint letter reads as follows:  

    May 1, 2020

    Dear Leader McConnell, Speaker Pelosi, Leader Schumer, and Leader McCarthy:

    The fresh produce industry is committed to the safety of our workers, whether harvest crews in the field or employees in packing facilities, all while keeping the food supply chain moving.  We are an essential part of feeding American consumers and the world at a time when our healthy fruits and vegetables are more in need than ever.

    Recent accusations regarding the employee protections in agriculture are unfounded.  With every stage of the emerging COVID-19 crisis, our industry has worked hard to embrace all public health advice for social distancing, personal and facility hygiene, face coverings and more. While there is no specific guidance for farms from the CDC, OSHA or FDA as of yet, producers have implemented protocols based on general guidance from these agencies, as well as USDA and state and local public health and agriculture officials. Some of these recommendations that have been implemented include but are not limited to those referenced here:

    • Centers for Disease Control[1],[2],
    • Occupational Safety and Health Administration[3],[4],
    • Department of Labor[5],
    • Department of Homeland Security[6] ,
    • Food and Drug Administration[7]
    • U.S. Department of Agriculture[8]

    These efforts have resulted in changes to operations across the country in order to keep our workers safe while bringing food to the American people.

    Furthermore, beyond the government guidance mentioned above, the produce industry has enhanced these government recommendations and provided our strongest commitment to workforce safety:

    • Produce employers have partnered with hospitals and health care officials to create a program where doctors and nurses visit worksites to discuss COVID-19 risks and provide educational services. 
    • Grower organizations have sponsored Public Service Announcements in English, Spanish and other languages in communities with a high density of agricultural workers advising them about the proper safety steps to take not only on the job but in their communities.
    • Industry organizations have partnered with state extension service to produce educational videos and material in English and Spanish for workers to educate them about proper sanitation and healthcare practices.
    • Grower groups have partnered with worker advocates to develop guidelines for strong state enforcement of workplace and housing standards.
    • Beyond our farms and our own employee housing, companies are providing workers advice on in-home sanitation, social distancing, and recuperative services.

    These steps reflect our continued commitment to the safety and well-being of our employees, the safety of the products they harvest, and the health of all Americans who must continue to consume healthy foods as part of our public health fight back against this virus.  Without a safe and healthy work force, we could not continue to meet that challenge.

    Going forward, we will continually update our safety protocols in accordance with all government guidance. We also look forward to working with lawmakers on both sides of aisle and with the administration to ensure a safe workplace for our employees and a safe and abundant food supply for our country. In that regard, we note that we need to secure additional personal protective equipment – farmers have some reserves of these supplies but as this crisis lingers, we are concerned about the ability to secure supplies in the future.

    Sincerely

    United Fresh Produce Association, Western Growers Association, National Potato Council, National Watermelon Association, US Apple Association, Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association, Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, Florida Tomato Exchange, Northwest Horticultural Society, California Farm Bureau, National Council of Agricultural Employers

    [1] https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/critical-workers/implementing-safety-practices.html

    [2] https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/shared-housing/index.html

    [3] https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3990.pdf

    [4] https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/covid-19/standards.html

    [5] https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2020/03/19/usda-and-dol-announce-information-sharing-assist-h-2a-employers

    [6]https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/Version_3.0_CISA_Guidance_on_Essential_Critical_Infrastructure_Workers_4.pdf

    [7] https://www.fda.gov/food/food-safety-during-emergencies/food-safety-and-coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19

    [8] https://www.rd.usda.gov/coronavirus (multifamily housing FAQ)

  • UF/IFAS Names Angle New Vice President of Agriculture

    GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The University of Florida has named J. Scott Angle, director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, to lead the university’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) into the next decade. He is expected to assume the role as vice president for agriculture and natural resources on July 13.

    J. Scott Angle, NIFA portrait, Oct. 31, 2019. USDA Photo by Preston Keres

    Angle will oversee UF’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences with more than 6,000 students, the Florida Cooperative Extension Service, and the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station’s network of research centers. The announcement ends a 10-month national search to lead one of the nation’s largest and most accomplished organizations of its kind.

    “Dr. Angle is a nationally recognized leader in agricultural science and administration. His passion for science, natural resources and service to the community will advance our work toward feeding a growing world population while reducing our use of resources needed to do it,” UF President Kent Fuchs said. “During this critical time in Florida agriculture, he is the proven leader we need to adapt our traditional land-grant mission of teaching, research, and outreach to a 21st century context, contributing significantly to UF’s drive to be a top-five university.”

    “Dr. Angle has a demonstrated record of innovative leadership,” said Michael Perri, dean of the UF College of Public Health and Health Professions and chair of the search committee. “His work has also driven scientific advances that underpin our state’s second-largest industry and customized Extension to the needs of each local community it serves.”

    Angle spent more than 35 years in agricultural science and administration, including 25 years as a professor of soil science and administrator (Director of the Maryland Agricultural Experiment Station and Maryland Cooperative Extension) at the University of Maryland. His early work focused on the study of losses of nutrients from agro-ecosystems, and their impact on the Chesapeake Bay. He also studied the impact of heavy metals on the food chain with the goal of protecting our food supply from these harmful elements.

    From 2005 to 2015, Angle served as dean and director of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the University of Georgia. He is a fellow in the American Society of Agronomy and the Soil Science Society of America and a Fulbright Fellow having worked at the Rothamsted (Research) Experimental Station, in the United Kingdom. He subsequently served as president and CEO of the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), an international public organization (IPO) dedicated to helping the poorest farmers of the world produce more food.

    “My experience at NIFA gave me the opportunity to see university agriculture operations across the nation, and UF/IFAS is simply one of, if not the, best. Agriculture is changing faster than I have ever witnessed in my career,” Angle said. “Many challenges lie ahead, not the least of which is COVID-19, and its long-term implications for agriculture. UF/IFAS, however, is up to the challenge and I am honored to be at the helm during such an important time for agriculture.”

    Not one to shy away from challenges, Angle recently oversaw the successful transition of NIFA operations from Washington, D.C., to Kansas City, Missouri, while ensuring mission continuity and service. UF/IFAS has been in transition mode during the coronavirus pandemic as well, pivoting quickly to remote learning and working, budgetary challenges and an industry in crisis. 

    “During my interview I noted that I thought UF/IFAS combines both applied science, teaching and extension with the basic sciences better than any other land-grant university in the world. It’s the intersection of these functions where impact is made, and few institutions can compare with UF/IFAS in local, state, national and global impact,” Angle added. “This is why I am so pleased to have been selected for this position. My wife, Kay, and I look forward to moving to Gainesville and becoming a part of the community.”

    Scott Angle succeeds Jack Payne, who is retiring after 10 years in that position. During Payne’s tenure, CALS enrollment rose to record levels and faculty achieved a single-year record for grants and contracts. UF/IFAS built a honey bee lab, a professional development center, a biological station in Cedar Key, a teaching forest learning center, and a beef teaching unit headquarters among other advancements under Payne’s leadership.

  • USDA Announces Additional Food Purchase Plans

    Perdue

    (Washington, D.C., May 4, 2020) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced today details of $470 million in Section 32 food purchases to occur in the third quarter of fiscal year 2020, in addition to purchases previously announced, which will enable USDA to purchase surplus food for distribution to communities nationwide. These Section 32 purchases will provide additional support for producers and Americans in need, in response to changing market conditions caused by the COVID-19 national emergency.

    “President Trump has authorized USDA to support our farmers affected by this national emergency and this action to purchase food and deliver to those in need further demonstrates his unwavering support for the American people during these unprecedented times,” said Secretary Perdue. “America’s farmers and ranchers have experienced a dislocated supply chain caused by the Coronavirus. USDA is in the unique position to purchase these foods and deliver them to the hungry Americans who need it most.”

    Background:

    The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will purchase a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy and seafood products. Specific purchase amounts for each commodity are included in the chart below. Purchases are determined by industry requests, market analysis and food bank needs. AMS will begin issuing solicitations in June and intends to begin deliveries in July. Details on how vendors may participate are available on the Selling Food to USDA page on the AMS website. Solicitations will be posted to the AMS Open Purchases Request website once available. Industry requests for future purchases using Section 32 funds, including potential plans for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2020, will be assessed on an ongoing basis.

    CommodityPurchase Amount
    Asparagus$5,000,000
    Catfish Products$30,000,000
    Chicken$30,000,000
    Dairy Products$120,000,000
    Haddock, Pollock, Redfish (Atlantic)$20,000,000
    Orange Juice$25,000,000
    Pears$5,000,000
    Pollock (Alaska)$20,000,000
    Pork$30,000,000
    Potatoes$50,000,000
    Prunes$5,000,000
    Raisins$15,000,000
    Strawberries$35,000,000
    Sweet Potatoes$10,000,000
    Tart Cherries$20,000,000
    Turkey Products$50,000,000
    Total$470,000,000

    On an ongoing basis, AMS purchases a variety of domestically produced and processed agricultural products as authorized by Section 32 of the Agriculture Act of 1935. These “USDA Foods” are provided to USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) nutrition assistance programs, including food banks that operate The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), and are a vital component of the nation’s food safety net.

    In addition to Section 32 purchases, USDA will use other available funds to purchase food in support of American agriculture and families on an ongoing basis and in response to recent disruptions in the food-supply chains. The U.S. food industry is experiencing high inventories due to a decrease in demand as foodservice establishments, restaurants and schools have closed and prices producers typically receive have declined. Meanwhile, food banks, food pantries and other organizations supporting communities across the country have experienced an increase in demand.

    Using these available funds, USDA plans to purchase 100% American-grown and produced agricultural products totaling $4.89 billion for the remainder of this fiscal year in support of American agriculture and people in need:

    Farmers to Families Food Box Program- $3 billion

    • USDA is exercising authority under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) to partner with regional and local distributors, whose workforce has been significantly impacted by the closure of many restaurants, hotels and other food service entities, to purchase and distribute $3 billion in fresh produce, dairy and meat products. The purchases will be distributed through the Farmers to Families Food Box Program.
    • AMS will procure an estimated $100 million per month in fresh fruits and vegetables, $100 million per month in a variety of dairy products and $100 million per month in meat products to provide a pre-approved box of fresh produce, dairy and meat products to food banks and other non-profits serving Americans in need.

    TEFAP – Additional $850 million

    • On an ongoing basis, USDA supports low-income families through the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), which provides emergency food assistance to states. USDA purchases a variety of nutritious, high-quality foods using Section 32 and other funds and makes those foods available for distribution to states to operate TEFAP.
    • USDA plans to utilize an additional $400 million provided by the FFCRA and $450 million provided by the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act to make additional purchases for TEFAP program recipients. The commodities and products procured for this program will be determined by food bank need and product availability.

    Support Program for Farmers- $573.6 million

    • Through the Food Purchase and Distribution Program (FPDP), AMS is continuing its plans to purchase $1.4 billion in agricultural products produced by U.S. farmers, ranchers and producers suffering from damage due to unjustified trade retaliation by foreign nations.
    • A total of $573.6 million remains for these purchases this fiscal year. These food purchases are provided to states for distribution to the network of food banks and food pantries that participate in TEFAP.

    Additional information on these purchase and distribution programs is available on the Agricultural Marketing Service website and the Food and Nutrition Service website.  

    United States Department of Agriculture

  • Clemson Extension, SCDA Schedule Two Remote Grower Trainings

    Clemson Extension and the South Carolina Department of Agriculture (SCDA) have scheduled two Produce Safety Rule Grower Trainings. They will be provided remotely for growers in May. They will be held over two days; May 19 and 20, and during May 27 and 28.

    Produce on sale at a grocery store.

    The in-person training in Sumter on June 23 has been canceled. If these trainings are successful, more online trainings will be offered in the future. The Produce Safety Alliance has made this option available until July 31.

    Per the registration page: “Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this training is being offered temporarily via remote delivery. In order to participate, individuals must have a webcam and audio capability, and will be required to have both operating during the full course of the training (May 19th 1PM – 5PM & May 20th 1PM-5PM). It is a Produce Safety Alliance requirement that participants are monitored in order to verify participants’ attendance and engagement. Participants will only be eligible for the PSA/AFDO Certificate of Course Completion if they are present for all modules of the course. The training will take place via Zoom, which does not require special software. Zoom does have system requirements, which can be found here:

    https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201362023-System-Requirements-for-PC-Mac-and-Linux.

    Please make sure that your system meets the requirements for Zoom meetings.

    In order to assure a smooth-running training, there is limited space available. Preference will be given to South Carolina growers. If space is available, the training will be open to out of state participants on a first-come, first-serve basis. Out of state participants, please email Brooke Horton to be placed on the waiting list – BHorton@scda.sc.gov.

    The Produce Safety Rule Grower Training Manual v1.2 will be mailed to registrants prior to the training – please be sure that the address you provide at the time of registration is capable of receiving packages. Evaluations and a Zoom link for the training will be sent in a confirmation email prior to the training date.”

    Registration can be found at links below:

    May 19 & 20: https://bit.ly/19May-COVID19SCPSR

    May 27 & 28: https://bit.ly/May27-COVID19SCPSR

  • N.C. Hemp Meeting Yields Updated Number of Growers

    industrial
    Pictured is industrial hemp.

    The North Carolina Industrial Hemp Commission met on Friday.

    According to Paul Adams, with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, there are 1,481 licensed hemp growers, 17,167.3 licensed acres, 7.2 million licensed square feet of greenhouse space and 1,061 registered processors.

    For full story, see North Carolina State story.

  • Florida Produce Farmer Concerned Over Lack of Fair Trade

    Canada, U.S. and Mexico are part of the USMCA.

    By Clint Thompson

    A Florida produce farmer is the latest to voice his concern over the impact Mexican imports are having on American farmers.

    Will Hyatt, who farms bell peppers and cantaloupes in Lake Wales, Florida, said there are multiple reasons consumers should buy domestic. He also believes the idea of fair trade is a fantasy and not reality.

    “I farmed in Mexico, and I know what it’s like. I know what the labor is like, and I know what the regulations are like; know Mexican government regulators are open to bribes to overlook or even assist violators,” Hyatt said. “To tell me, we have to compete against that, it’s not really fair. I think we can out-compete Mexico and Central America in a fair market if we have a fair regulatory market.

    “If we could trade labor and trade resources, this wouldn’t be a problem.”

    Florida blueberry farmer Ryan Atwood confirmed that just last week, Mexico exported 5 million pounds of blueberries into the U.S. last week. This happened despite it being the peak harvest season for Georgia, one of the country’s leading producers of blueberries.

    According to the USDA, U.S. agricultural imports from Mexico equaled $25.9 billion in 2018.

    What can change?

    Hyatt believes nothing will change until voters make their voices known.

    “Farmers are conservative as a rule, politically. The vast majority of us are conservative. But we are the first one to scream, please help us government when Mexico ships out a bunch of products. When the answer to me is to educate our fellow countrymen,” Hyatt said. “At the end of the day, our fellow countrymen vote with their dollars to purchase products that are produced internationally above purchasing domestically produced products. The farmers are a very small percentage of the community that will pay a price for that. At some point the greater population will pay a much steeper price, in my opinion.”

  • Still Time to Get Boxed Produce

    Workers get boxed produce available to deliver to customers last Wednesday, April 29.

    By Clint Thompson

    There’s still time for fruit and vegetable lovers in South Georgia to order their boxed produce from Lewis Taylor Farms.

    There are still boxes available for purchase, according to the Lewis Taylor Farms Facebook page,

    The boxes are $20 each and include sweet potatoes, cucumbers, bell pepper, onion, cantaloupe, green beans and collards. Boxes can be picked up on Wednesday, May 6 from 8:30 a.m. to noon or from 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Quality Produce Packing shed on 217 TyTy Omega Road.

    Order forms for next week’s boxed produce can be found here.

    Bill Brim, a Tifton, Georgia fruit and vegetable farmer, was overwhelmed with the positive response his produce boxes generated last week. The co-owner of Lewis Taylor Farms said between 1,300 and 1,400 produce boxes were sold.

    Like his brethren in Florida, Bill Brim’s farming operation has been impacted by the orders of self-quarantine amid the current coronavirus pandemic. The lack of a foodservice market led to a decrease in demand for fresh produce. This includes those grown at Lewis Taylor Farms in Tifton, Georgia.

    Brim decided to offer boxed fruit to consumers in the South Georgia area.

    Lewis Taylor Farms grows more than 6,500 acres of produce each year.

  • Whiteflies Already a Concern for Georgia Farmers

    By Clint Thompson

    University of Georgia Cooperative Extension vegetable entomologist Stormy Sparks said whiteflies are present in Georgia vegetables. This is not good since cotton farmers have begun planting their crop, and whiteflies like to feed on cotton plants as well.

    “There’s some. I don’t know if it’s worse or better or whatever compared to other years. Apurba’s been running those traps and checking some fields and he’s finding whiteflies,” said Sparks, referring to Apurba Barman, a postdoctoral researcher under UGA entomologist Michael Toews.

    “Apparently, they’ve always been here. But yeah, noticeable numbers in April is early, particularly in any fields. Where he’s finding most of them is kale which is not a good sign. That’s one of the crops they overwinter in. This time of year, having numbers is not good in any crop.”

    Why So Early?

    While colder temperatures don’t eliminate whiteflies, they do kill many of their wild hosts. They also slow population development in cultivated hosts. Warmer temperatures this winter allowed for larger whitefly populations to overwinter and become mobile earlier.

    “They’re able to carry through on crops a little easier. It never really gets cold enough here to really kill them, it just slows them down. Hopefully, the crops we have out there in the winter are not as good of hosts as some of our spring, summer or fall crops. You’re always hoping they’ll crash during the winter. But yeah, the mild winter undoubtedly plays a role in them overwintering a little better.”

    Whiteflies cause feeding injury issues in vegetables and transmit two viruses: cucurbit leaf crumple virus and cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus. Vegetables like squash, zucchini, cucumber, cantaloupe and snap beans are highly susceptible to these viruses. Commercial cultivars that have resistance or tolerance to these pathogens are not available.

    Will They Get Worse?

    The weather patterns over the next couple of months will determine if the whiteflies continue to worsen. How much rain will there be? How heavy are the rains and when will they occur? This is especially important as farmers move from winter crops to spring crops and then to cotton. Freezes in the winter and a tropical storm-type of weather system really impact populations.

    “You never want a tropical storm but a good tropical storm at the right time really knocks them back,” Sparks said.

    Sparks and other specialists continue to preach sanitation with whitefly management. He said farmers have done better in recent years in getting rid of winter vegetables once they’re done harvesting. That needs to continue with the spring crops once they’re done.

    “If you’ve got crops where you know you’ve got them, if you’re done with the crop, get rid of that crop,” Sparks said. “I think overall we’ve been doing a better job with sanitation. That’s something we always need to hammer on and remind them that sanitation is critical.”

  • Blueberry Farmer Reflects on Lost Crop Following Hailstorm

    By Clint Thompson

    A devastating hailstorm on Thursday, April 23 wiped out production for one of the largest blueberry farming operations in the Southeast, says blueberry farmer Phillip Mixon. The former owner of Mixon Farms, who now serves as manager, reflects on what might have been with this year’s crop.

    Pictured are highbush blueberries.

    “We had the best crop we had since about 2016,” Mixon said. ““We deal with rain. Some of them will split and you have to wait a few days and let them heal up and go back to picking. With hail, it devastates them.”

    Mixon’s farm has about 850 acres. Approximately 600 would have been harvested. The storm knocked a bunch of blueberries off. What was left on the bush was bruised really bad. They aren’t marketable.

    “It wiped ours out. It’s a total loss. It’s not good,” Mixon said. “We had golf ball size hail. It didn’t last but about 30 seconds, but it just totally wiped them out.”

    Mixon estimated he lost about 5 million pounds.

    Challenging Spring

    It’s been a challenging spring for Mixon. First, the blueberry farmer said having enough labor was a problem when the coronavirus pandemic hit. Now, he must find work for his workers. He’s reached out to his farming brethren.

    “You’ve got to guarantee them three-quarters of the contract. You’ve got to pay them whether you’ve got something or not,” Mixon said. “That sucks because I couldn’t help the hailstorm. If not been for that, I’d have plenty of work. It’s a bad deal all the way around.

    “We just start over and hope for the best next year. We started (Wednesday) hedging our blueberries down. We’re just going to have to tend to them and hope for next year and collect what little bit of insurance there is.”

    The only saving grace for Mixon was that this didn’t happen a year or two sooner. He sold the farm to an investment group, who kept him working as manager. Still, it’s a hard pill to swallow to see a year’s production lost.

    “It’s disheartening,” Mixon said. “I still treat it just like it’s mine even if somebody else has got it.”

    For more information about how the blueberry market is faring, see VSCNews story.

  • Boxed Produce Leads to Sweet Results

    Picture by Clint Thompson/Workers bring boxes of produce to customers on Wednesday.

    By Clint Thompson

    Thinking inside the box helped Brill Brim sell fruit and vegetables while providing an outlet for consumers to buy local produce.

    Brim, a Tifton, Georgia farmer, was overwhelmed with the positive response his produce boxes generated in the South Georgia area this week. The co-owner of Lewis Taylor Farms said they sold between 1,300 and 1,400 produce boxes. Each were stocked with turnips, broccoli, onion, cabbage, blueberries, kale and zucchini. Cars lined the road leading into Lewis Taylor Farms on Wednesday.

    “The response was great. We were overwhelmed and very surprised,” Brim said. “We were very surprised but very thankful for all of the gracious people.”

    Those interested in making a purchase next week, order forms can be found here.

    Next week’s box will have sweet potatoes, cucumbers, bell pepper, onion, cantaloupe, green beans and collards. All boxes are $20 each. Boxes can be picked up next Wednesday, May 6 from 8:30 a.m. to noon or from 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Quality Produce Packing shed on 217 TyTy Omega Road.

    Brim’s farming operation has been impacted by the orders of self-quarantine amid the current coronavirus pandemic. It’s much like what happened to his brethren in Florida. The lack of a foodservice market led to a sharp decline in demand for fresh produce including those grown at Lewis Taylor Farms in Tifton, Georgia.

    With excess fruit and vegetables, Brim decided to offer boxed fruit to consumers in the South Georgia area. It’s been a sweet success.

    Lewis Taylor Farms grows more than 6,500 acres of produce each year.