Organic agriculture is a rising star in the U.S. agriculture landscape at the moment, and the demand for organic produce and products is expected to continue to grow . Organics are also a viable option for many farmers and ranchers looking to essentially diversify their operations and afford some measure of stability against volatile agriculture markets. [...]
Florida and other southern states have a corner on the majority of the plant-based agriculture market for one common reason: the tropical nature of their respective growing seasons. In short, states like Florida, California, Texas and more are the best places to grow fruits like oranges, various vegetables and other plant-based produce because their growing [...]
As a guest columnist for Central Florida Ag News magazine, this article of mine was recently published in the February 2016 edition. If you’ve been anywhere near a grocery store produce section in the last few years, then you’ve likely seen the “Fresh From Florida” label on everything from strawberries and oranges to chicken and [...]
There’s no arguing that petroleum and petroleum-based products are damaging to our environment. To further our country’s use of pertroleum-free biobased products, the USDA started the BioPreferred Program in 2002. The program was later expanded as part of the 2014 Farm Bill. In February 2015, the USDA announced a new product—Tide PurClean—to the 2,500 products [...]
The agriculture industry is an enterprise of innovation, and few innovations are quite as welcome as those that are good for the environment and will save producers money at the same time. Such is the case of a web-based monitoring system developed by the University of Florida’s Institute for Food and Agriculture Studies, known as [...]
The USDA has been on the forefront of creating innovation for the ag industry. From grants for environmental stewardship and growth to lunch programs that get our farmer’s produce into public school lunches, the USDA offers a myriad of benefits to ag and non-ag folks alike. In mid-January, the USDA announced a new program to [...]
Citrus Greening has ravaged the Florida citrus industry for the last 10 years, and the stakes keep getting higher and higher. In early December, the USDA released an updated citrus forecast, and the outlook was anything but rosy. According to the new estimates, the USDA is forecasting only 69 million boxes for all oranges, which [...]
The U.S. has not had diplomatic ties with Cuba since 1961, but the recent efforts by the Obama Administration to renew governmental relations with the Caribbean island nation have put Cuba-U.S. ties on the front burner. It’s front-page news, and the U.S. agriculture industry—especially in Florida—has taken notice. Recently, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack was part [...]
Agriculture is steeped in history and tradition, but it also utilizes technology to improve, increase production and stay relevant in a global market. Apps simply require a smartphone—which are now pretty inexpensive these days and can be useful in the field—and many will work with computers as well. Try these apps to improve your agribusiness: [...]
The Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP, has made major headlines lately, and those stories that focus on the partnership’s benefits for the country’s agricultural industry have been favorable, including those concerning Florida agriculture. Representing more than 40 percent of global trade, the USDA maintains that the “TPP is an opportunity to advance U.S. economic interests in [...]
