Column

A thorough annual health exam is a way to keep your horse healthy and stay ahead of any issues that may develop. Generally, the exam is performed at the same time as your horse’s annual vaccinations and Coggins test. This exam allows your veterinarian to closely evaluate your horse’s health and assist in the early […]

For five years, Dr. Fernando Alferez and his UF/IFAS research group in Immokalee have been working with TreeDefender IPCs, studying how to help newly planted citrus trees in an area of widespread HLB. The results have been clear: Protecting the trees with IPCs from the moment they are planted keeps them free from HLB. IPCs

Citrus reset management is necessary for maximum efficiency in Florida citrus growers as citrus trees can decline and become unproductive for a number of reasons. This means removing and replacing citrus trees that are declining and have become unprofitable with resets. It also means ensuring that the resets live and thrive to become profitable parts

Friends, as this year comes to a close, I am grateful for those of you who supported Higgenbotham Auctioneers and attended our auctions. We have been blessed with meeting many people from many paths in life.  We don’t know everything, but we listen to our clients’ goals and needs. We are not in the business

As the year comes to a close, I’m giddy with excitement like my teenage daughter Holly Kate on Christmas Eve. Even though it’s the right time of year, there’s a different reason. Longtime readers of this column know the Florida agriculture industry has long been a central focus of mine. Twelve years ago, I started

The horse’s digestive tract is designed to be continuously processing forage. Ideally, horses should be on pasture grazing most of the day, which produces a continuous amount of saliva. The saliva creates a protective buffer for the stomach that decreases the risk of ulcer formation.  A high fiber diet maintains their gut health with constant

For this month’s column, we wanted to focus on industry sustainability. With all of the hardships the Florida Citrus Industry has been through in the past decade, making sure the industry remains sustainable has taken on a larger importance. A key to sustainability may be found in incorporating new tools into the regular maintenance of

Florida growers enrolled in the Best Management Practices (BMP) Program have a little breathing room to remedy fertilizer applications that were washed away by Hurricane Ian earlier in the year. The hurricane struck Florida in mid- to late September and caused a significant amount of damage and flooding. Once the flood waters receded, Florida growers

Friends, I am counting my blessings! I am facing the physical, economical, and political storms with a grateful heart! Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. —

Agribusiness (a portmanteau of “agriculture” and “business”) is an emerging term for the business sector that encompasses farming and all farming-related commercial activities. This includes every step in the process that delivers agricultural products to the market — production, processing, and distribution. In any country with land that can be worked, agribusiness is an important