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ANNA COCO
and her husband, Bruce Templeton, of Doublethumb Growing Solutions.
Growers have
demonstrated
a willingness to experiment, with new varieties and crops not being grown commercially in Florida.
SFEATURE | agribiz: from page 20
She finds coir minimizes water use and optimizes was almost non-existent in a 2001 survey. Protected fertilizer. “It is a different technique. It is more technical,” structures costs may range from $1 to $8 or $10 a square says Coco. “You should, under the right management foot, Hochmuch observes. Soil and soil-less mediums program, get higher yields.” It is made from the outer were diverse, like the crops themselves.
green husk of the coconut, which normally would be Growers have demonstrated a willingness to thrown away. When it’s time to replace the coir, it can be experiment, with new varieties and crops not being used as mulch in the field. grown commercially in Florida. About 200 acres are
“What I tell people is, it [the plant] is like a baby. planted with olives in Florida, according to Olive Council There’s no nutrition in that fiber at all,” Coco says. “You estimates. Olives are very bitter and resistant to most have to feed it, versus soil that does have some nutrition.” bugs. Although they have been grown in northern Florida
HOW DO ANTIBIOTICS AFFECT OUR STATE’S LIVESTOCK?
Tres for many years, the challenge is to be able to grow olives Protected agriculture now includes at least 385 ac
in Florida, according to a new, 2013 survey by Robert farther south, Garcia reports.
Hochmuth and Dilcia Toro from the University of Florida/ Some 50 test olive trees were planted in May on Mosaic Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS). That’s Company property at Bowling Green near the Hardee/ up from 92 acres in 2001. Polk county line. An additional 500 will be planted in
There was a significant increase in the use of high the spring.
tunnels, which accounted for more than 186 acres. It
There’s also interest in growing blackberries. Because they are highly perishable, it is important to establish marketing relationships to move the fruit quickly, says Mary Beth Henry, a small farms/pesticide licensing extension agent with UF/IFAS in Polk County. U-pick is an option, but growers should be aware many varieties have thorns, and a backup plan should be in place if there aren’t enough u-pick customers.
Unlike blueberries, blackberries do not require a very low ph, or acidic soil. They do require trellising. “There’s definitely potential for growing them here. There’s not the kind of push there has been with blueberries. I would say that’s because of the perishability,” Henry says.
Pomegranates and peaches have been gaining in popularity. Pomegranate growers are being challenged by
WHEN IT’S TIME
to replace the coir, it can be used as mulch in the field.
USING ANTIBIOTICS with livestock is a hot topic today. Antibiotics have been around since the 1920s and much has changed since they were developed. While we use antibiotics to stave off bacteria and fight diseases for both people and animals, there is warranted concern about its use with livestock. Many people are concerned about animals becoming resistant to the antibiotics and the long term effects or the potential of residues in meat, milk, and eggs.
So what exactly are antibiotics used for with cattle?
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) dictates the approval of and directions for use of antibiotics in livestock. Many producers use antibiotics as part of a
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cattle management strategy to maintain the health and well-being of the cattle. Cattle may be given antibiotics to assist with pain and distress. They may also be given to help cattle grow faster and gain weight faster. In some cases, cattle that are in danger of becoming
sick because of stress or exposure to a new environment may be given antibiotics as a means to prevent sickness or infection.
The FDA keeps a watchful eye on producers
who use antibiotics. Those who exceed the FDA approved limits risk heavy fines and even prison, and all violations are published regularly on the Food Safety and Inspection Service website.
by MIKE MARTIN
BIO: Michael Martin of Martin Law Office in Lakeland specializes in agriculture and environmental legal representation. A native of Polk County, Mike attended college at Sewanee in Tennessee, before obtaining a doctorate in law from the University of Florida and has tried numerous cases nationwide since that time. Mike also serves as the director of the FFA Foundation and is the author of the novel, The Crestfallen Rose.
FloridaAgNews.com