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Although it has been some time since Hurricane Ian came and went last year, many in the Florida agriculture community are still suffering from the financial impact. Many lessons were learned, and some of those revolved around the importance of proper preparation.  Pay Now or Pay More Later We learned some measures worked well; others […]

I’ve been talking a lot lately about F1 Meat Co. — my new professionally run meat processing facility that serves Central Florida — in this column space and how it fits into my greater vision. But there is another piece of the plan that is in motion that I haven’t talked about quite as much.

Florida has its unique challenges for horses. A combination of the climate, humidity, wet ground, insects and typical management practices can expose Florida’s horse population to certain diseases and illnesses. These problems include the following: Insect-borne diseasesMosquitoes carry viruses such as West Nile Virus, Eastern Equine Encephalitis and Western Equine Encephalitis. These viruses are most

Florida’s citrus industry has been under siege for many years. Between the relentlesscitrus greening disease and devastating weather events, many groves have beendecimated, forcing growers who have been in the industry for generations to re-evaluatetheir business strategy. Bamboo is well suited to our climate and can provide economic and environmentalpayoffs more rapidly than other crops.

Great things happen when we put our heads together. There are many instances where advancements in the treatment of citrus greening came about during citrus cooperative research projects. For example, during one such cooperative project, a participant noticed that citrus greening causes the rapid loss of fibrous roots; in another, a participant noticed the importance

Many people, including myself, often use analogies when trying to convey a position or point of view. When I think about the Florida citrus industry’s current situation, the saying “it’s like turning a battleship instead of a speedboat” comes to mind.  It takes a lot of planning, calculation, and preparation to maneuver a large ship.

Is there anything better than when a plan comes together? This is turning out to be even more of a blockbuster year than I expected, and the timing couldn’t be better. If you’re a regular reader of this column, you may already be familiar with my vision to give Florida ranchers a convenient, local, cost-effective

There is a systematic plan for diagnosing a lameness in your horse that includes an exam with potential nerve blocks, radiographs, and ultrasound. The first step is always to perform a thorough lameness work-up to determine a baseline lameness and determine which leg is affected. Palpation and a visual exam can help locate an injury

There’s been a problem lately with cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, affecting Florida’s lakes and waterways. Cyanobacteria are common in Florida’s freshwaters, and many species can produce dangerous toxins. James Gaspard at Biochar Now has developed an innovative method for controlling cyanobacteria without introducing additional toxic chemicals into the environment. Biochar is a type of charcoal

The USDA’s final citrus forecast for Florida’s 2022-2023 citrus season marks a grim milestone for those in the industry — 15.9 million boxes of oranges and 1.8 million boxes of grapefruit. Unfortunately, even though the numbers leave a sinking feeling in our stomachs, we can’t say this was unexpected. We’ve been watching the slow slide