blueberries Archives - Specialty Crop Industry Vegetable and Specialty Crop News Tue, 11 Jul 2023 18:11:29 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.3.1 116110416 Leaf Rust Disease a Concern Now More Than Ever for Florida Blueberry Growers https://specialtycropindustry.com/leaf-rust-disease-a-concern-now-more-than-ever-for-florida-blueberry-growers/ Wed, 12 Jul 2023 12:00:00 +0000 https://specialtycropindustry.com/?p=22479 By Clint Thompson Leaf rust disease has always been a problem for Florida blueberry growers. But that concern has only magnified with producers transferring to an evergreen production system. Phil Harmon, professor and Extension plant pathologist at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), discusses the issue growers are facing with this familiar problem. “Here recently, ...

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]]> 22479 Florida Blueberry Grower: “Wasn’t a Good Year for Florida” https://specialtycropindustry.com/florida-blueberry-grower-wasnt-a-good-year-for-florida/ Wed, 24 May 2023 11:30:00 +0000 https://specialtycropindustry.com/?p=22117 By Clint Thompson Blueberry season has all but ended in Florida. Growers are taking stock of the season, which was impacted by the Christmas freeze event and a couple of freezes in March. One producer believes it wasn’t a good year for Florida. “We were down on our yield. We were a little late because of some of those freezes. ...

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]]> 22117 UF/IFAS Hosts Orchard Field Day https://specialtycropindustry.com/uf-ifas-hosts-orchard-field-day/ Tue, 02 May 2023 15:50:04 +0000 https://specialtycropindustry.com/?p=21918 By Maegan Beatty Last week, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) hosted an Orchard Field Day at the Plant Science Research and Education Unit in Citra, Florida. The field day served as an educational event for commercial farmers, home gardeners and industry representatives. Attendees gathered to learn more about fruit crop diversification options. Speakers covered ...

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]]> 21918 Multiple Days of Sub-Freezing Temps Devastating for Southeast Specialty Crops https://specialtycropindustry.com/multiple-days-of-sub-freezing-temps-devastating-for-southeast-specialty-crops/ Thu, 29 Dec 2022 12:15:00 +0000 https://specialtycropindustry.com/?p=20742 By Clint Thompson Specialty crop producers can usually stomach one day of sub-freezing temperatures. But four days? That was not the ideal scenario for growers across the Southeast this past weekend. It was disastrous for vegetable farmers, citrus growers and potentially strawberry producers. Prolonged temperatures in 20s over parts of the region, including South Georgia and North Florida, have been ...

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]]> 20742 October Management Tips for Blueberries https://specialtycropindustry.com/october-management-tips-for-blueberries/ Thu, 13 Oct 2022 11:45:00 +0000 https://specialtycropindustry.com/?p=20045 Blueberry specialists at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) remind growers about management options they need to be mindful of during October. Producers should monitor and manage leaf diseases, especially in evergreen systems. It is important to scout for algal stem blotch and selectively prune out canes infected with algal stem blotch, Botryosphaeria stem blight ...

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]]> 20045 Hurricane Ian Damage Assessment Gets Underway https://specialtycropindustry.com/hurricane-ian-damage-assessment-gets-underway/ Thu, 29 Sep 2022 19:46:32 +0000 https://specialtycropindustry.com/?p=19918 By Frank Giles There is no question Hurricane Ian will go down as a historic catastrophe in Florida. It’s impact on agriculture will likely be historic as well. While it is too early to know the full extent of damage, AgNet Media is reaching out to growers and various industry associations and agencies to learn the extent of damage to ...

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]]> 19918 Blueberry Growers Support Bipartisan Florida Petition on Mexican Trade Practices https://specialtycropindustry.com/blueberry-growers-support-bipartisan-florida-petition-on-mexican-trade-practices/ Fri, 16 Sep 2022 10:00:00 +0000 https://specialtycropindustry.com/?p=19744 The Florida Blueberry Growers Association (FBGA) added its voice to other agriculture producer groups in support of the Florida delegation’s Section 301 petition to protect the state’s fresh fruit and vegetable farmers from the rapidly rising onslaught of heavily subsidized Mexican produce. “Now is the time to deliver relief to domestic producers under assault from foreign imports, including blueberry growers,” ...

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]]> 19744 Alabama Blueberry Producers had ‘Outstanding’ Year https://specialtycropindustry.com/alabama-blueberry-producers-had-outstanding-year/ Fri, 19 Aug 2022 10:00:00 +0000 https://specialtycropindustry.com/?p=19491 By Clint Thompson Blueberry producers in the southwest part of Alabama had a better production season than some of their contemporaries in neighboring states. According to Jacob Kelley, Alabama regional Extension agent, blueberry growers in southwestern Alabama, including Mobile, Baldwin, Washington, Clarke, Monroe, Conecuh, Escambia and Butler counties, had an “outstanding” crop. The biggest advantage Alabama producers had over Florida ...

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]]> 19491 Florida Organic Blueberry Production a Challenge https://specialtycropindustry.com/florida-organic-blueberry-production-a-challenge/ Wed, 17 Aug 2022 12:30:00 +0000 https://specialtycropindustry.com/?p=19474 By Cint Thompson Interest in organic blueberry production in Florida has waned in recent years. The late freeze event in January was not helpful in convincing growers to convert production. Phil Harmon, professor and Extension plant pathologist at the University of Florida, discusses the state of the industry in Florida. “Growers have converted a few acres in some cases to ...

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]]> 19474 UF Study Shows ‘Aromatic’ Blueberries Taste Better https://specialtycropindustry.com/uf-study-shows-aromatic-blueberries-taste-better/ Thu, 04 Aug 2022 10:30:00 +0000 https://specialtycropindustry.com/?p=19360 They may be called “aromatic” blueberries, but they don’t just smell nice — they taste good. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) scientists now know why: These fruits contain just the right genetic combination to produce the chemistry required for a pleasant blueberry flavor. Growers and consumers always seek better-tasting fruit, compelling blueberry breeders like Patricio ...

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