AgNet DEMO

Author: Clint

  • UF Weather Alert Website for Farms now Mobile-Friendly, Among Other Updates

    By: Kirsten Romaguera, 352-294-3313, kromaguera@ufl.edu

    GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Florida Automated Weather Network (FAWN) just relaunched its website with a new look and additional user-focused features. It is a University of Florida-operated service aiding agricultural decision-makers statewide since 1997.

    Larry Treadaway, coordinator of the Florida Automated Weather Network, adjusts equipment at a new monitoring station in Bronson, Fla. in 2017. The network includes 33 monitoring stations operated by UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, transmits real-time weather data to computers in Gainesville. Growers and others can access the data via phone or the FAWN Web site: http://fawn.ifas.ufl.edu.

    “Our main goal in revamping the site was to make it more efficient for users,” said Rick Lusher, UF/IFAS project manager for FAWN. “One of the most important changes is the now-seamless integration to mobile platforms, meaning users can access the same information straight from their phones.”

    The FAWN network includes 42 stations located from Jay to Homestead that record and report every 15 minutes. This includes information like air temperature, winds and rainfall. Some stations are even adding data from newer technologies like soil moisture sensors. Plans are being made to expand these offerings to more locations. Producers can use their nearest stations’ localized information to assist with critical decisions. These include crop and landscape irrigation, freeze protection, and chemical application.

    New Features

    Upon entering the new website, another new feature prompts users to allow location services to pinpoint the data to their nearest station. The website has always had a map feature. But Lusher explained that the site now utilizes interactive technologies that allow the user to filter for current conditions.

    Lusher consulted on ideas for the site with UF/IFAS faculty like Charles Barrett. Barrett is a regional specialized water resources agent based in Live Oak, Florida. He regularly advises growers on best practices given the information provided by the website.

    “The new look to the FAWN website makes it easier to access the data growers have come to rely on,” Barrett said. He advocated for the updates to create minimal disruption for regular users. “The changes streamline the use of the website. So it should be a better user experience. But with the same feel as the previous website.”

  • Watch out for Invasive Species

    By Clint Thompson

    The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) wants help in identifying invasive species that threaten our food supply and cause plant diseases. Especially since April is designated “Invasive Plant Pest and Disease Awareness Month”

    Citrus greening is a result of damage from Asian citrus psyllids, which are invasive species.

    Samantha Simon, USDA’s Executive Director of Emergency and Domestic Programs, says invasive species can threaten agriculture and many farming operations, especially in the Southeast.

    “In the Southeast, there are many that like to call the Southeast home. That includes the Asian citrus psyllids, which is this little bug that likes to attack citrus plants. It can also spread citrus greening. There’s also the emerald ash borer beetle. It attacks our ash trees, resulting in the destruction of tens of millions of ash trees in 35 states throughout the United States. There’s also the imported fire ant,” Simon said. “It travels in the soil, can travel in hay and can travel on equipment.”

    Time is now to be on the lookout

    Simon emphasizes that since it’s springtime, invasive species or “hungry pests,” are on the move and looking for sources of food. These can range from a wide variety of trees to various food crops. These pests need to be reported to the USDA if they’re spotted.

    “Hungry pests are emerging and they’re going to be out there moving around. We’re out there moving around as well. It’s a great time for us to look around for unusual signs of the pest or disease in the trees, in our plants, in our own backyard,” Simon said. “The hungry pests can, they can hurt from citrus growers to wine producers.

    “There’s always a risk for exotic fruit flies, which of course, will impact fruits and vegetables and nuts as well. Thankfully, at the moment, we do not have any of those. We’re actively working to keep those out of the southeast. It’s important to know, the things we move, whether it’s bean plants, or fruits or vegetables or untreated firewood, may include these hungry pests.”

    To learn more about Asian citrus psyllids, see psyllid management.

    “It’s devastated millions of acres of citrus in Florida as well as Texas and California. We are working actively with the citrus industries to help prevent the spread of citrus greening,” Simon said.

    The United Nations (U.N.) designated 2020 as the International Year of Plant Health. The goal was to raise awareness about the devastating impact invasive pests have on the environment, food security and global economy. The U.N. estimates that each year, invasive pests destroy up to 40% of food crops. They can also cause $220 billion in trade losses worldwide. This trade, worth nearly $1.7 trillion annually, is crucial for human survival and economic growth in rural areas.

  • Food Safety a Top Priority in Alabama Produce Industry

    By Katie Nichols, Communications Specialist/Alabama Cooperative Extension System

    Food safety is an important component in the Alabama produce industry.

    AUBURN University, Ala. – With Alabama’s growing season in full swing, produce growers are working to ensure continuing food safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. The CDC, USDA and FDA agree that there is no indication the virus can infect consumers through food or food packaging.

    Good Agricultural Practices

    Alabama Extension food safety regional extension agent Kristin Woods said the produce industry uses Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) to help protect against foodborne illness.

    Woods said that many growers go through voluntary audits to verify that fruits and vegetables are produced, packed, handled and stored as safely as possible to minimize risks of microbial food safety hazards.

    “Food system workers — including harvesters, packers, processing line workers and others — are critical to  a safe and consistent food supply in the U.S.,” Woods said. “In fact, a Department of Homeland Security issued guidance recognized agricultural production, food processing, distribution, retail and food service as well as allied industries workers as essential workers.”

    Health of Agricultural Workers

    Woods said worker health is crucial to a stable supply.

    “Farms already have food safety protocols in place to preserve the safety of freshly harvested products, but now there are also enhanced procedures to protect employees from the virus,” she said. “These procedures protect workers during harvest and in packinghouses so that producers can keep food flowing from farm to table.”

    Woods said consumers should know some key facts about the produce industry.

    • Food system workers are highly trained. These workers undergo extensive training to prevent the hazards that cause foodborne illness. They have the knowledge to assess risks on the farm, during processing, at retail and in the kitchen.
    • If a worker tests positive for COVID-19, they go home. Individuals who come in contact with an infected person should self-quarantine.
    • Processing facilities have enhanced procedures to frequently clean and sanitize high-traffic surfaces. This virus, like others, can survive on surfaces for an extended time making cleaning and sanitizing vital.
    • There is no food shortage in the U.S. Shoppers may see empty grocery store shelves in the short-term. However, many packinghouses are shifting gears from food service accounts to retail accounts. This switch takes time to see on the grocery store shelf.

    Woods encourages shoppers to exercise patience instead of stockpiling.

    “Shifting our food supply from foodservice to retail in a short amount of time is not an easy job,” she said.

    To read the whole story, see food safety.

  • USDA’s Buy Fresh program has tight deadlines

    The newly announced $100-million-per-month USDA Buy Fresh program offers produce companies a way to sell products for government feeding programs.

    And the application process starts right away.

    The United Fresh Produce Association BB #:145458 said USDA told them the requests for proposals will open April 24; proposals are due back to USDA May 1; awards will be announced May 8; and deliveries will begin May 15.

    The Buy Fresh program is part of the CARES Act stimulus program from the federal government to help companies struggling due to the government shutdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    In a webinar on April 21, David Tuckwiller of USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service, said AMS is getting out of its comfort zone with this program and moving very quickly to help food companies and U.S. citizens struggling for food during the economic downturn.

    “Our goal is to support American farmers and feeding people,” he said.

    Tuckwiller said Buy Fresh is only for sellers of fresh produce (no canned or dried) that is grown in the U.S. Ideally, fruits and vegetables would be packed in consumer-sized packages so that they could go “from the truck to the trunk,” he said.

    That will put some pressure on suppliers to work together with partners to fulfill the government requirements, many of which are not used to working with USDA for food assistance, Tuckwiller acknowledges.

    Mollie Van Lieu, senior director nutrition policy for United Fresh, said USDA knows feeding programs are under pressure because they don’t have many of their volunteers during the pandemic. Yet the demand for food is higher than ever.

    Buy Fresh has similar programs for the dairy, pork and chicken industries, but within the fresh product program, certain commodities will have priority due to meeting foodbank needs and helping growers who have been hit the hardest, Van Lieu said.

    These include berries, apples, oranges, pears, cucumbers, tomatoes, potatoes and onions.

    Robert Guenther, senior vice president public policy for United Fresh, said he hasn’t heard what USDA’s pricing model will be, but he doesn’t think it will be based on the lowest bid.

    USDA gives more details about the Buy Fresh program and a link to its solicitation page here.

    Produce Blue Book

  • COVID-19 Devastates Blueberry Market for Florida Farmers

    Blueberries ready to be picked in this file picture.

    By Clint Thompson

    It normally pays to have an early blueberry crop if you’re a Florida farmer. But as Ryan Atwood will attest, this has not been your normal year. Blueberry producers are not immune to the impact of COVID-19.

    “Being early is a good thing. For a Florida blueberry grower, you’re trying to be early. Everything you do is to be early. The bad part of the deal was the coronavirus and just the timing of it. You couldn’t have timed it any worse for a Florida blueberry grower,” said Atwood, who lives in Mount Dora, Florida and farms 56 acres of blueberries, manages another 350 acres and is part-owner of the largest packing house in the Southeast United States.

    Atwood’s blueberry crop was early this year due to a mild winter and high temperatures over the past couple of months accelerated growth. However, when Atwood started picking high volumes of blueberries, which was around March 18, is when the pandemic shut down the country.

    “It just crashed literally within days. Right when Florida’s peaking or right about when it’s about to enter its peak, it was bad timing,” Atwood said. “Everybody was talking like we were going to have a 1 in 20 kind of year. Chile was done early. Their fruit wasn’t in the market. Normally they come in late. They kind of crowd into our market on the front end. But they were already out. Everybody was thinking it was ready to set up nice. But then out of left field… agriculture’s tough.”

    Market prices reflect the pandemic’s impact.

    “It’s 50% of the historical average price is what we were getting, so half of the money of what you would typically get because of the coronavirus,” Atwood said.

    Atwood estimates he’ll finish harvesting this year’s crop in about a week.

  • Georgia Peach Industry Expert ‘Optimistic’ About Crop, Market Outlook

    Georgia peaches should be ready for harvest in May.

    By Clint Thompson

    A Georgia peach industry expert is confident about his state’s marketing outlook amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

    Duke Lane III’s company, Genuine Georgia, manages sales and marketing for the Georgia peach industry. He believes the market will be there for the Georgia peach farmers despite the presence of COVID-19 that has closed restaurants and shut down schools.

    “When you look at retail sales, produce and grocery, they’re up significantly. I think (the pandemic) will undoubtedly have an effect on foodservice. But our business has been built around grocery markets, retailers,” said Lane, who is also president of the Georgia Peach Council.

    “We feel like when you start thinking about summertime and feeling good, we feel like those are kind of thoughts that are synonymous with Georgia peaches. We’re pretty optimistic,” Lane said. “I feel like quality, flavor; absolutely. We’re going to kick off about the 18th of May and are just anticipating some big things.”

    Georgia is one of the top peach-producing states in the country. According to UGA Extension, Georgia produces more than 130 million pounds of peaches every year. There are two commercial peach-growing regions in Georgia. The central region is the largest with about 1.6 million peach trees, which comprises 75% of the state’s production. The southern region produces about 30 million pounds of peaches annually.

  • Alabama Farmer: If I Had 10 Acres of Strawberries Today, I Wouldn’t Have Enough

    There appears to be not enough strawberries to satisfy local demand in Alabama.

    Strong demand for locally-owned strawberries

    By Clint Thompson

    Strawberry season is in full swing in Alabama. Unfortunately, for farmers, they don’t have enough product to satisfy local demand.

    “If I had 10 acres of strawberries today, I wouldn’t have enough. Saturday morning, about 10 o’clock, I had 82 phone calls and I just unplugged my telephone,” said Bobby Ray Holmes, part-owner of Holmestead Farm in Talladega, Alabama.

    Holmes usually doesn’t have any problem selling strawberries. But this year the demand has been overwhelming. This is due to the coronavirus pandemic. U-pick strawberry operations provide families an outlet to escape the new norm of social isolation.

    “All of the strawberry farmers have run out of product because all of these people are home and can’t go anywhere. So, they go and pick strawberries,” said Holmes. “(Families) say, we can go to the farm. People are pinned in. They want somewhere to go. The kids are all out of school. They want somewhere to take the kids.”

    John Aplin, owner of Aplin Farms in Slocomb, Alabama, echoes Holmes’ sentiments.

    “I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s been crazy. Every year we increase our strawberries to meet demand,” said. “We doubled our strawberries this past year. When I opened the U-pick strawberries, we can’t stay open over four hours. Then we have to close for three days and let them ripen back up.”

    Holmes estimates that he has 1.5 acres of strawberries or approximately 30,000 plants. He said the three or four other farmers are facing the same scenario this year; they don’t have enough strawberries.  “They’ve got the same problem,” Holmes admits.

    “Anytime it’s a problem if you’ve got folks that want to spend money with you, and you don’t have something to sell them. You’ve got a problem,” Holmes said.

  • Clemson Extension Agent Optimistic About Muscadine Crop

    Pictured are muscadines hanging off a vine.

    By Clint Thompson

    South Carolina’s muscadine harvest season is still five months away, but the crop looks ripe for a productive season. That optimistic outlook comes from Bruce McLean, Jr., a Clemson (S.C.) Extension area commercial horticulture agent for Dillon County, Horry County, Marion County and Malboro County.

    “I’ve been out a few times, walking vineyards and really looking at them. A lot of the muscadines in my area are more juice and wine type of muscadines, the Carlos or Noble type of varieties or Doreen. Those are looking really, really good,” McLean said. “They’re really just budding out now, just producing floral buds. They’ve been leafed down for a couple of weeks now. So far, they look really nice.”

    McLean said this time of year is designed to help farmers capitalize on their fertility programs. He works with a lot of them 1-on-1 to see what tweaks can be made to their spray programs as well.

    He estimates that there are approximately 100 acres of muscadine vineyards that are produced in South Carolina. These vineyards are mostly 15 to 20-acre vineyards.

    “It’s definitely something that a lot of growers are wanting to be expand out on,” he added. “We’re also trying to help find them markets. And maybe looking at fresh markets to complement as far as the juice and wine market as well.”

    Muscadine harvest in South Carolina is generally reserved for September.

    “It’s still mighty early. Anything can happen. Right now, we’re just looking at spray programs to really protect the crop as much as possible and maximize yields,” McLean said.

  • Non-Traditional Marketing Outlets Still Options for Small-Scale Producers

    desantis
    Fresh fruit and vegetables on sale at a farmers market in this file photo.

    By Clint Thompson

    N.C. State Extension Vegetable Production Specialist Chris Gunter believes non-traditional marketing outlets are still viable options. They provide opportunities for small-scale fruit and vegetable farmers to capitalize on amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

    Outlets like farm-to-customer delivery and farmers markets are still available for those producers. Gunter believes the demand is still high.

    “People aren’t as able to get to traditional retail outlets like grocery stores and the normal supply line is backing up. There’s excess produce because demand is down,” Gunter said. “But if you are innovative and you have outlets that are non-traditional or can shift from traditional outlets to new outlets, the demand is high. These non-traditional markets are seeing an increase in demand because people still want that fresh produce. It’s just less available at their traditional retail outlets.”

    Many people avoid traveling to retail grocery stores for concern over their own health. If they buy directly from farmers or have the grower deliver directly to their door, it is more convenient. And it is now a more popular option. Individually boxed fruit is a growing alternative for consumers.

    “Places like the Produce Box here in Raleigh, (North Carolina) which has a way to aggregate produce from growers all over and make its own custom boxes for those customers, they’re seeing lots and lots of increase in demand,” Gunter said.

    This option is not suited for all growers. Because of restaurants and schools closing for fear of spreading the disease, large-scale farmers have been most impacted the most, especially in Florida. Gunter said a large-scale grower would overwhelm these non-traditional outlets with produce. Also, consumers don’t want just one type of fruit or vegetable.

    “For the large, wholesale growers, they’re not tapping into that market usually because their volume is so high,” Gunter said. “They’re used to delivering to distribution centers or direct to a retail outlet.

    “(Also) customers still want a mix of fruits and vegetables. Having (just) a box full of squash doesn’t really work for the consumer.”

    However, traditional outlets will need to be restored. Non-traditional outlets are not sustainable.

    “Supply lines are going to have to become re-established in order to supply people once these immediate lockdown precautions are lifted. I think you’ll see people start to go back to traditional retail markets,” Gunter said.

  • UGA Specialist: Pecan Crop Fine Following Cold Snaps

    Pecan trees will not be impacted by recent cold snaps.

    By Clint Thompson

    Recent cold temperatures will not have any impact on the development of this year’s pecan crop, says Lenny Wells, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension pecan specialist.

    Wells estimates that pecan farmers saw budbreak at least two weeks early this year. With that early budbreak back in March, temperatures were still warm. Pecan trees put their foliage on from the bottom of the tree up. All that early foliage that came out on the bottom part of the tree and started growing well. Then rains and cold fronts came soon after.

    “We had some cooler temperatures and some nights down in the low 40s, which is nowhere near anything that would hurt us. But it did slow this growth down, especially the buds that were breaking in the top of the tree. That has slowed the growth in the top of the trees a little bit,” Wells said. “When you look at some trees from a distance, it looks like the bottom leafed out good, but the top is real thin. That’s just because those little cool snaps we had slowed things down. I don’t think it’s going to be an issue.”

    He reassured pecan producers in his blog that as temperatures and the soil warm up, the problem will correct itself.  

    However, cool soil temperatures can lead to Zinc and Boron deficiencies. The trees can’t take these nutrients up from the soil as easily when soil temperatures drop. So, Wells advises growers to stay up to date with their foliar sprays.

    “Every spring, your soil temperatures warm up a little slower than the air temps do. Spring is the critical time for the tree to get that zinc and boron. When those soil temperatures are cool, they’re not able to take it up there well from the soil,” Wells said. “That’s why we usually will put on Zinc and Boron foliar sprays early in the season. Regardless of what your soil levels are, we do it for that reason because they can’t pick it up from the soil early in the season when they need it the most.”

    Symptoms of such temporary deficiencies include bare limbs, small, yellow leaves, rosette and mouse ear.

    To see how Wells is confident in this year’s pecan crop, see vscnews.com.