Georgia’s pecan crop accounts for 29% of the nation’s production.
By Clint Thompson
The United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service released its findings for noncitrus fruits and nuts in the Southern Region for the 2019 crop year. These estimates were based on grower surveys.
Avocados: Florida’s production of avocados was up 88% from 2018. Its value of production was up 54%. Yields rebounded in 2019. Utilized production for the 2019 crop year was 25,540 tons.
Blueberries: Georgia led the nation with 21,700 harvested acres in 2019. Utilized production was up 76%, and value of production was up 52% from 2018’s hurricane-damaged crop. Georgia produced 95,900 pounds. Utilized production in Florida was up 16%, while value of production was up 3%. Florida produced 24,200 pounds.
Peaches: In Georgia, utilized production was up 44% and value of production was up 58% from the crop in 2018. Georgia utilized 33,780 tons of production. South Carolina’s utilized production was up 8%, while value of production was up 20%.
Pecans: Georgia’s pecan crop accounts for 29% of the nation’s production. It had a 4% increase in utilized production and a 21% increase in value of production in 2019. The lingering impact from Hurricane Michael in 2018 and the dry summer in 2019 impacted the crop. Georgia produced 73,000 pounds.
Strawberries: Florida’s utilized production was down 18% from last year, while its associated value of production was up 9%.
BALM, Fla. — You can enjoy pomegranates in myriad ways. You can toss them in salads, sprinkle their seeds on yogurt or oatmeal or add them to smoothies. When you consume pomegranates, you’ll savor their sweet and sour flavor. You may be drawn not only to their taste, but perhaps to their nutritional value. They contain antioxidants that help boost your heath.
How special is this fruit? One of the most popular varieties is literally called ‘Wonderful.’ Scientists nationwide, including researchers at the University of Florida, soon will try to improve the ‘Wonderful’ pomegranate and other varieties of the fruit. In Florida, research will start as soon as scientists can return to their fields and labs.
California farmers produce 90% of the nation’s pomegranates, but ‘Wonderful’ pomegranates come from cuttings in Florida. Some Florida farmers seeking alternative crops see pomegranates as among their options.
Zhanao Deng, a professor of environmental horticulture at the UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC), will soon collaborate with researchers nationwide to breed more disease- and pest-resistant pomegranates.
“For Florida pomegranate growers to be successful and sustainable, we need new varieties that are better adapted to our climate and more resistant to diseases commonly found in Florida,” Deng said.
To find these new varieties, Deng tests about 2,000 plants from sets of parent plants that were grown several years ago.
“We plan to create new breeding populations and screen them for better disease resistance, higher crop yield and better fruit quality,” he said.
At the GCREC, Deng will work with Gary Vallad, a UF/IFAS plant pathology associate professor. The two scientists also will work with Florida growers to find plants that show the best disease resistance. When promising new cultivars become available, they will be tested in growers’ orchards.
As part of the national research team, Deng will work with scientists at the University of California-Riverside, Texas A&M University, California State University and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. UC-Riverside leads the grant, after it received an $885,801 grant from the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service through the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Specialty Crop Multi-State Program.
Initially, in 2017, Deng started testing pomegranates to see if they would grow at his farm at the research center. This is called “trialing.”
“Our trials have shown that the pomegranate plants can grow really well in Florida,” he said. “But the most challenging issue comes from several fungal diseases that can cause severe defoliation, fruit rot and fruit drop.”
Those issues – along with bugs and mites — reduce crop yield and quality. Commercial farmers see the same issues with pomegranates, Deng said.
Despite issues with fungi and pests, “Farmers have been very supportive to our pomegranate research, and we have been working together for years,” he said.
“Florida specialty crop growers have faced a tough situation in recent years, due to devastating diseases and international competition, and they have been looking for alternative crops to grow,” Deng said. “Pomegranate seems to make sense to Florida growers as it can be grown with the same irrigation, fertilization and spray equipment that have been used for growing citrus or some other crops.”
Industrial hemp samples at the Everglades Research and Education Center. Photo taken 11-07-19.
Just past the midpoint of a pilot project to study if industrial hemp grows well in Florida, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers are already looking ahead to see what more they can learn.
The UF/IFAS Industrial Hemp Pilot Project team of scientists is engaged in a two-year research project started with hemp plantings in the spring of 2019. A report on the project’s findings will go to the Florida Legislature at the project’s completion but are heading out to growers in the state interested in industrial hemp.
“Our call to action is to help growers and investors make an informed choice whether to take a chance on hemp and how to grow it,” said Zachary Brym, assistant professor of agronomy at the UF/IFAS Tropical Research and Education Center (TREC) in Homestead and research lead for the pilot project. “The fact remains that Florida is an entirely new environment for industrial hemp.”
Among other research objectives, UF/IFAS scientists are working to identify varieties suitable for growing in Florida and develop management practices and cropping systems that are economically sustainable. They’re also identifying risk factors such as insects, disease and the invasive properties of hemp.
“The long-term goal of the project is to produce hemp crops in an environmentally conscious and socially responsible way while maximizing both plant health and yield,” said Brym.
PRELIMINARY FINDINGS
As the UF/IFAS Industrial Hemp Pilot Project team begins its second year of studies, researchers are warning growers of potential challenges that can affect the crop’s chances of success.
“Be cautious,” said Brym. “There remains a conspicuous lack of consistent science and support for genetics and management practices of hemp for Florida. Our work from 2019 looked at 45 or so varieties across the state. We cannot yet name any variety that did everything a farmer needs to grow a marketable product. We did see some hemp grow well in our trials, so we have something to work with.”
According to Brym, some varieties do not match the amount of daylength in the regions tested and flowered too soon. Some showed extremely high variability in growth and productivity. Many exceeded the 0.3 percent total delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) limit at harvest.
“Each of these preliminary findings point to a risk for farmers,” said Brym. “I am also concerned about the risk to the environment.”
Reliable or consistent science-based information on fertilizer and irrigation needs for the plant do not yet exist.
“I worry that farmers will apply too much fertilizer or irrigation,” said Brym. “Our early work also begins to confirm the risk of hemp to escape from cultivation through errant seed banks and dispersal.”
Brym stressed the preliminary nature of these results and the opportunities to improve the outlook in the second year of the project. Given the need for more information and consistent results, scientists, like Brym, seek support for continued research.
“I hope that folks see the value in our preliminary findings. It’s important to report what we see from the science for better or worse,” Brym shared. “There’s a lot more work to be done.”
TRIALS AND EXPANSION
As part of the project, UF/IFAS established variety trials representing various uses (fiber, grain and CBD) from regions of origin throughout North America, Europe and Asia.
The trials were planted outdoors at three UF/IFAS research locations including the TREC in South Florida, the Agronomy Forage Research Unit in Hague and the North Florida Research and Education Center in Quincy. The first locations represented the broad range of environments, climates and farming regions of Florida. They provided the ability to assess the genetics, management practices, cropping systems and potential risks of growing in those regions, said Brym.
An invasion risk assessment at the Bivens Arm research site, located near UF’s main campus in Gainesville, has been assessing natural conditions and habitats where hemp might establish and spread outside of cultivation. The study looks at the risk of any hemp plants becoming invasive threats to Florida’s landscapes.
According to Brym, research has expanded with industrial hemp currently being grown at eight permitted UF/IFAS locations. Cultivation now includes greenhouse propagation as well as outdoor planting. Following the initial screening of varieties, additional trials were planted to improve seed emergence, pre-plant seed treatments, herbicide control and soil drainage.
What started with a core team of seven faculty members from three departments and the College of Pharmacy has expanded to 20 faculty members from a greater variety of disciplines.
Researchers from the expanded team looked into the basic physiology of hemp in a controlled environment and monitored for pests and diseases on hemp outdoor trials. Their involvement was critical when two propagation greenhouses went under quarantine for pests that appeared on transplants from outside of the state after initial delivery inspections.
“We can thank the continued industry support and investments that helped us meet our research milestones. Our research efforts to date have made great strides in making information available to this emerging industry,” said Brym. “We’re geared up to complete the pilot project in 2020 and look forward to continued engagement with the industry.”
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:
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
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.
(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.
Commodity
Purchase 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.
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.”
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.”
Timing is everything, and for Florida produce farmer Will Hyatt, it might be the key to a successful season.
File photo shows picture of cantaloupes in a field. Will Hyatt has been harvesting his cantaloupes for more than a week.
Hyatt, who farms bell peppers and cantaloupes in Lake Wales, Florida, has been picking melons for more than a week. He was fortunate not to have to deal with the challenge of marketing produce during the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.
“I think it was our good fortune to be far north to not have to deal with the front side of it. Our crops are typically planned for mid-to-late April, early May. We weren’t faced with tackling the upfront panic,” Hyatt said. “Really, because of the products that we’re growing and the sales outlets that we have, so far our season has been fairly good to us. I know a lot of people aren’t in the same boat. We’ve been very fortunate to align ourselves with the right labor providers and the right clients. It’s not been too bad for us.”
Not All Are As Fortunate
Unfortunately, not all Florida farmers were as lucky. Paul Allen, president of R.C. Hatton Farms in Belle Glade, Florida and chairman of the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association, said he had to leave 2 million pounds of green beans and about 5 million pounds of cabbage in the field in this April 7 VSCNews story. All because of the lack of a foodservice market due to restaurants closing in mid-March amid COVID-19.
Hyatt’s harvest window for cantaloupes will last until the first week of June. High temperatures in Florida helped ripen his cantaloupes but also impacted the pepper’s production.
“The temperatures have helped bring the cantaloupes on a little quicker but it’s also made the pepper a little more challenging from a fruit set standpoint,” Hyatt said.
“We can be glad or mad at any kind of weather,” Hyatt joked.
Tallahassee, Fla. – The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) has added several exciting new features to the Florida Farm To You commodities exchange that the Department launched on April 9.
Nikki Fried Florida Agriculture Commissioner
Designed to connect farmers with buyers, consumers, and food banks during COVID-19, the page has been visited more than 334,000 times, with more than 310 listings of farm-fresh items for purchase, and is part of the #KeepFloridaGrowing effort launched by FDACS. The new features include an interactive map and a new commodities transportation option.
Interactive Map: The Florida Farm to You page now features an interactive map in which users can enter their address, city, or ZIP code to find growers near them. The map includes icons indicating what commodities are nearby, such as fresh produce, dairy, meat, seafood, honey, and more.
Transportation Option: Similar to farmers listing their products, transportation companies can now list their refrigerated and non-refrigerated truck services on the Florida Farm to You page. By filling out the simple online form, transportation companies can be contacted by farmers and ranchers looking for options to have their commodities transported from their farms.
“Our new Florida Farm to You page has successfully connected Florida’s farmers with buyers, food banks, and consumers in their communities,” said Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried. “Now, we’ve made the page even more user-friendly by adding an interactive, searchable map, and we’re adding functionality to help agriculture producers find transportation for their crops from their fields. As COVID-19 creates unprecedented challenges, we remain committed to doing everything we can to support both our farmers and consumers in need.”
The additions were the result of feedback from Florida Farm to You page users, as well as from transportation companies eager to help agriculture producers. Transportation companies with vehicles suitable for the transportation of agricultural commodities are encouraged to sign up on the page and share information including location, truck sizes, travel radius, and availability.
