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Farming as a career isn’t always an easy road. No one signs up for it to coast, but because farmers are passionate about what they do.    But that doesn’t mean they want to do it all by hand. Farming equipment can be costly to buy, and costly to maintain, but may cost the farmer […]

Alecia Crauswell’s Business Buzzing at Lakeland’s Red Roof Farms by MARY TOOTHMAN After 24 years in military service, it was quite a career switch when Alecia Crauswell found her way into the beekeeping life at Red Roof Farms.  But once a family member got into beekeeping, she found herself drawn to the fascinating world of

Florida Young Farmers and Ranchers compiling online directory of farms selling directly to consumers. by PAUL CATALA At 34, Ryan Armstrong already has seven years literally in the field growing citrus. He knows firsthand the effort, dedication and devotion it takes to get Florida-grown produce and from soil to table.  Armstrong is the current class

Florida Sun Grown Tobacco Farm Works to Bring Tobacco Growing Back to Florida by HEATHER MACHOVINA Florida has an illustrious history of growing the world’s finest cigar tobacco. It began in the 1820s when a Virginian moved to Gadsden County to experiment with tobacco as a market crop. By 1860, more than half of the

Lori Proctor’s Goat Farm a Story of Success Born From New Adventure by TERESA SCHIFFER Lori Proctor, proprietor of Proctor’s Goat Farm and Goat Life, isn’t your typical farmer. For one thing, she didn’t really grow up in an agricultural lifestyle, like so many in the industry have. Proctor’s background is in advertising, sales, and

USDA’s Blessing Sets Florida Hemp Program Into Action by TIM CRAIG As the USDA formally approved Florida’s state hemp program, the path to begin cultivating the alternative crop is turning green, particularly for one company who was there at the beginning and now has a sizable footprint in Central Florida.   The USDA approved Florida’s

by GENE McAVOY, Associate Director for Stakeholder Relations at UF/IFAS SWREC and Regional Vegetable Extension Agent Emeritus  provided to Central Florida Ag News  Markets On Tuesday, March 24, a local broker says, everything changed. From brokers, orders stopped and everything got quiet. Wednesday, the 25th, super-quiet. Since then, tomato volumes are down 85 percent, green

Florida Cattlemen Open Up About Riding Out Fluctuations by TIM CRAIG It would be nearly impossible to discuss the livestock industry without the lens of the current health pandemic hanging low and shading whatever picture is created. With local, state, and national factors changing on an almost daily basis and codified patterns of behavior in

In March, the COVID-19 pandemic effected industries, businesses, and millions of people across the U.S. As fear and panic-shopping set in among consumers with the unknown uncertainty of the duration of the virus and social distancing and stay-at-home orders in place across multiples states, the food supply chain was beginning to shake with demand for

Florida’s Livestock Industry a Powerhouse for the Country Sponsored by Farm Credit of Central Florida Agriculture is one of the top four industries that drive the economy of the state. Florida is well-known as one of the country’s agriculture giants with its tropical climate and year-round growing season, but the focus is usually on oranges