Tristen Walling, Lakeland, FL “At a young age, I was introduced to the agriculture industry where I was taught how to plant crops and nurture an animal. At 4 years old I knew that I wanted to be a veterinarian and help animals feel better, this seemed like a perfect job for a little girl […]
What’s Your Ag Story? Read More »
The Citrus Growing Project of the Polk County Youth Fair is teaching young people responsibility and agricultural lessons through raising citrus trees. Passing knowledge on to the next generation is important in any field, and it’s especially vital to the citrus industry in Florida. With the many innovations that are taking place in growing citrus,
Citrus Growing Project Helps Students Understand Agriculture Read More »
An Alternative to the Traditional Greenhouse Has Been Getting Attention from Growers Across the State by Providing More Environmental Control than an Open Field High tunnels are considered an intermediary between greenhouses and open fields. Most growers use high tunnels in conjunction with growing in the ground as opposed to the hydroponics often found in
Q&A on High Tunnels Read More »
Some Growers Go Undercover, While Others Look to Fresh Fruit Production to Diversify Facing a decline in citrus production in the wake of citrus greening, some of Florida’s growers are turning to protective coverings to block the Asian psyllid that spreads the dreaded Huanglongbing or HLB virus. Ten Florida citrus growers have banded together
Annual Citrus Report Read More »
Arbor Day is a holiday typically celebrated by planting trees either at home or in your community. Check out our short list of ways to honor National Arbor Day! National Arbor Day is celebrated on the last Friday of April every year, but states recognize Arbor Day depending on the best time to plant trees
Top Ways To Honor National Arbor Day 2017 Read More »
THE 2012 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE counted 2.1 million farms in the U.S., with 97 percent being considered family-owned operations. While that designation could be any number of configurations of family members, siblings, and extended kin, the one that packs the most important punch is the multigenerational family farming business. We count the number of farming
A smoother transition for passing on the family farming tradition Read More »
A ROBOT THAT CAN PICK strawberries may ease the industry’s labor problem and revolutionize the way crops are harvested. “This machine itself is being designed specifically for the strawberry,” says Gary Wishnatzki, a third-generation family-owner of Plant City’s Wish Farms, who is partnering in the project. “We’re not going to stop with strawberries … There’s
Strawberry-harvesting robots, more of the sweeter varieties, and new U-picks Read More »
HURRICANE MATTHEW gave the state of Florida quite a scare during the first week of October. It held the potential to inflict great devastation on the state’s inhabitants and infrastructure. It was especially troubling to Florida’s agricultural industry, with the citrus industry having a lot to lose.
Hurricane Matthew spares Florida citrus Read More »
WE IN FLORIDA have known for quite some time how grand, how diverse, and how wonderful agriculture in the Sunshine State really is — and how much more grand it’s destined to be. Now, a bunch of folks way up north, in the U.S. Midwest, are learning about Florida’s special place in American agriculture, too.
MSU Extension takes a close look at Florida ag Read More »
CITRUS GREENING IS A SCOURGE on the Florida citrus industry, but it highlights the value of ag tech, science, and innovation in an amazing way. So many are working on the issue, and the ingenuity of those in agriculture is on full display. Below are some of the research efforts in the works right now.
Citrus greening putting ag research on display Read More »
