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FDACS Creating Online Database for Produce and Seafood On Monday afternoon, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) announced its effort to establish an online site to facilitate the sale or donation of fresh produce and seafood that might otherwise be left to rot because of the marketplace economics due to COVID-19 impacts.  […]

Young Rancher Credits UF/IFAS Extension for Much of Her Success by BRAD BUCK, UF/IFAS correspondent Megan Johnston works alone, proudly managing a 140-acre ranch. Though there are no typical days, Johnston gets up about 5:30 every morning to feed the cows and their calves on land near Floral City, Florida.  Johnston attributes much of her

Food Check-Out Week Spreads Farm-to-Table Awareness by PAUL CATALA For most of her life, Scarlett Jackson has been involved with getting what’s on the farm to the table. But some of Florida’s 20.6 million residents—many from other parts of the United States or abroad—might not know what it takes to get food from a Florida

Researchers Turn to New Cultivars to Rebound From Greening by MARY TOOTHMAN The Sunshine State is making some citrus-centric changes — such a new juice oranges and some new cultivar choices — to help the industry navigate obstacles. The decline in orange juice sales is the reason — at least in part — why new

Florida Blueberries a Booming Business Sponsored by Farm Credit of Central Florida by TERESA SCHIFFER Did you know that the blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) is one of only a handful of cultivated fruit crops that is native to North America? Experts estimate that the bush has been present on this continent for about 13,000 years. Native

Florida Is the Second-Highest Strawberry-Producing State Sponsored by Farm Credit of Central Florida by ERIKA ALDRICH Florida strawberries are some of the most beloved berries in the country, especially because they are just about the only strawberry available in the dead of winter! The majority of Florida strawberries originate in Plant City, which is recognized

Andy McDonald of Sweet Life Farms Describes Why Advocacy Efforts Are More Important Than Ever Before by TERESA SCHIFFER Sweet Life Farms in Plant City might be relatively new in terms of established farms, but General Manager and partner Andy McDonald is a seasoned pro when it comes to growing strawberries. McDonald is a fifth-generation

Latest Forecast Gives a More Optimistic Outlook for Grapefruit by TIM CRAIG Florida citrus growers, particularly those who grow grapefruit, got a slice of good news in January when the U.S. Department of Agriculture increased one of its indicators during the monthly projection update for the 2019-2020 season.   In its January forecast, the USDA

The State of the 2020 Strawberry Season and What It Means for Florida Growers by TERESA SCHIFFER The strawberry season got off to a slow start in November, but volume is picking up and growers are smiling. While the quality level has been acceptable, berry size has been on the small side. Growers are expecting

Ornamental, Horticulture Industries Significant to Florida Economy Sponsored by Farm Credit of Central Florida The horticulture and ornamental industry is a large part of Florida’s robust agriculture industry, and The Sunshine State is the second-largest producer of ornamental and horticulture products in the country. It’s a broad industry, encompassing everything from flowers destined for floral