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An attentive horse owner will notice subtle changes in their horses’ behavior. Horses are creatures of habit and routine, so these variations may indicate that the horse isn’t feeling well. Signs that may indicate colic are lethargy, lying down more than usual, pawing, decreased appetite, looking at their sides and diarrhea. Signs of colic means […]

The Florida citrus industry is taking hits from all sides. The industry is facing the lowest orange harvest of the past 90 years or so, winter freezes have damaged crops, citrus greening has yet to be mitigated, and diseases like postbloom fruit drop are an ever-present concern. To add insult to injury, the industry is

I am in awe of the wizardry we all carry around in our pocket. Here is a device that can connect us to nearly all of the world’s information. Amazing. However, not only can I connect with a wealth of information, I can gather multiple sources together, put them in a virtual packet and share

While there’s plenty to fret about in the agriculture industry these days, you need only take one quick glance in our schools for a quick pick-me-up.  When someone says today’s kids are plugging into video games and shunning hard work, show them the hundreds of kids who work day and night to raise animals and

Florida has become the number one state in the country that people move to. As a result, our agriculture industry is already struggling to compete against foreign imports and combating invasive pests. Prime agriculture land is being developed into subdivisions, roadways, and is struggling to find valuable crops to compete with developer land values. It

West Nile Virus is a virus spread by mosquitoes and can infect multiple animal species including humans. The virus persists in wild birds, and mosquitoes biting the infected birds can transmit the virus to other animals and humans. Humans and horses are considered “dead-end hosts,” meaning when a mosquito bites an infected horse they cannot

Let’s face it: It’s tough to be in the Florida citrus industry these days. As if the battle with HLB wasn’t enough, the past 12 months have given us two freeze events, another devastating hurricane, and rising fuel and fertilizer costs. Add to that, the USDA citrus forecast in mid-January, which projected 18 million boxes

4R nutrient stewardship is key to the Best Management Practices for fertilizer applications to achieve the sweet spot where the environmental, social, and economical sustainability of commercial crop production all come together. Similar to BMPs, the 4Rs aim to match crop requirements with the best-suited nutrient, minimize nutrient losses from fields, and maximize operation profitability.

At one time, a drive through the Florida countryside could leave you in awe of the vast expanse of citrus groves that blanketed the land. Now, that same ride inspires a different kind of awe — except this new awe leaves a sadness deep in the pit of your stomach.  That feeling gets worse and

There are people who are optimistic about a cure for citrus greening, and then there are those who feel utterly defeated. Regardless of which camp you’re in, the decline of one of Florida’s greatest industries is leaving a vacuum, and that puts landowners in a bind. While scientists feverishly search for a greening cure —