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From U-Pick to the Grocery Store, Florida’s Blueberries Make for a Tasty Treat by BRAD BUCK, UF/IFAS correspondent, photo by UF_IFAS photography As we enter the heart of Florida’s blueberry harvesting season, you can now enjoy the yummy fresh fruit during its finest hours, say University of Florida experts. For about 80 years, many Florida-grown […]

Newly Named Miss Florida Citrus Casana Fink Immerses Herself in Advocacy by MICHELE K. TRICE Casana Fink was just named Miss Florida Citrus 2023 in February, and already the position has blossomed into a passion for the Florida citrus industry and the growers throughout the state.  “This has been a really wonderful past month,” Fink

Veterinary Crisis Looms With Shortage of Equine Specialists by TERESA SCHIFFER A crisis is brewing in the world of veterinary medicine. While there are plenty of students graduating from veterinary college and entering the workforce, most of those bright-eyed new vets are heading into small-animal practice, leaving a significant shortfall of equine specialists to treat

Polk Ranchers Wrestle Development, Rising Costs to Meet Demand by PAUL CATALA Regardless of the commodity or industry, farmers and ranchers across the state are all grappling with the same obstacles—development and rising costs. That’s especially true for Florida cattle ranchers. Kevin Fussell, who is in his second year as president of the Polk County

Florida a Heavy Hitter in U.S. Tomato Production by TERESA SCHIFFERSponsored by Farm Credit of Central Florida Tomatoes are one of the most widely consumed vegetables worldwide, and a favorite among home gardeners. They tend to be easy to grow and are as nutritious as they are versatile. The United States is a global leader

Students Make RISE Institute’s Urban Farm Sustainable by TERESA SCHIFFER photos provided by MATTHEW CROXTON  Jennifer Canady may be spending more of her time in Tallahassee lately as the State Representative for District 50, but her heart is still in her hometown of Lakeland where she established the Everette Taylor Urban Farm at Mass Market

Frostproof Boy Doesn’t Let Condition Limit His Drive by PAUL CATALA photos by MICHAEL WILSON If anyone thinks Mason Berry’s condition keeps him from doing what he loves, he has plenty of ways to show that simply isn’t true. Mason was born with spina bifida, a congenital defect of the spine in which part of the

Florida’s Citrus Industry Still a Vital Economic Force by RUTH BORGER, UF/IFAS correspondent Despite challenges from diseases, land development trends, and extreme weather, Florida’s citrus industry contributed $6.9 billion to the state’s economy in 2020-21. A just-released report from University of Florida economists, “2020-2021 Economic Contributions of the Florida Citrus Industry,” estimates the economic contributions

Seminar to Shed Light on Beekeeping in Florida by LOUIS RODRIGUEZ ROSADO Introduction to the Western Honey Bee Western Honey Bees are one of 300 bee pollinator species in Florida. Although they are not the only pollinators in the state, these bees are credited for approximately 85% of the pollination of all crops in Florida.