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Members of the Highlands County ag community attended the District 8 Women’s Leadership Conference at Fiorelli Winery in Bradenton on June 10. This included PR/Social media workshop, farm and winery tour, charcuterie lunch, door prizes, and an update by Commissioner Wilton Simpson’s district representative, Ellen Cruz.  photos provided by JESSICA HARRIS

Meet Newly Crowned Florida Cattlemen’s Sweetheart Whitnie Yoder by RYAN MILEJCZAK The Florida Cattlemen’s Association recently crowned 20-year-old Whitnie Yoder as the 2023 Sweetheart. Originally hailing from Calhoun County and representing Jackson County as the county Sweetheart, Yoder has deep roots in the Florida beef industry and a fervent passion for agriculture. “I’ve always appreciated

Three Recent Graduates Receive Will Putnam Young Farmer and Rancher Scholarship by K. MICHELE TRICE Three recent high school graduates were recognized by the Polk County Farm Bureau as recipients of the Will Putnam Young Farmer and Rancher Scholarship.  This year’s winners include: Samantha Shaffer, Gabriel Chandley, and Kaylee Tomon. The Will Putnam Young Farmer

Island Grove Receives Agricultural-Environmental Leadership Award by K. MICHELE TRICE photos provided by ISLAND GROVE WINE CO.  Island Grove Wine Co. was recently named one of three recipients of the 2023 Agricultural-Environmental Leadership Award.  “There’s a lot of good growers out there,” says Jerod Gross, Island Grove’s general manager. “Agriculturists in general, we all try

Glenn Beck Honored for His Contributions to the industry, Fight Against Greening by PAUL CATALA photo provided by AGNET MEDIA For four generations, the Becks have been a steadfast, positive presence in Florida citrus. But it’s within the current generation the family’s impact on one of the state’s signature industries was highlighted and brought to

Hurricanes, Greening Deal Devastating Blow to Growers by PAUL CATALA Despite a minute uptick in production in June and July, the final totals of the 2022-2023 citrus season revealed the definitive blow growers suffered from hurricanes and greening.  The United States Department of Agriculture released its final forecast of 15.9 million boxes of oranges for

Mangoes Thrive in South Florida’s Tropical Climate by TERESA SCHIFFER Sponsored by Farm Credit of Central Florida Mangoes are originally from India and Southeast Asia, but South Florida’s tropical climate is perfect for the stone fruit. In fact, Florida leads the nation in mango production. Florida’s Mango History Although mango (Mangifera indica) is considered to

by BRAD BUCK, UF/IFAS correspondent Growers can use ultraviolet light and predatory mites to help control a pest that can severely damage strawberries, but new University of Florida research adds a cautionary note.  This integrated approach to managing twospotted spider mites comes as helpful information for growers in Florida’s $400 million-a-year strawberry industry. Farmers are