Florida Agriculture Industry

Florida’s blueberry season runs from March through May. Growers are working to recover from the freezes of this winter and deliver tasty, nutritious blueberries to consumers.

Blueberry growers work to bounce back after a chilly winter, deliver sumptuous fruit to consumers

Brad Buck, UF/IFAS

After a winter that hit harder than anyone expected, freezing blossoms and fruit and bruising hopes, Florida blueberry growers are working to recover from this chilly season.

Agriculture

Following changes, “Farm Bill” ready for Florida Senate floor

Jim Turner/News Service of Florida

Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson’s wide-ranging “farm bill” is now ready for the Senate floor, without controversial language to expand the ability of farmers to pursue legal damages over the “disparagement” of agricultural products. The Rules Committee on Tuesday backed the proposal (SB 290) after several changes were made, particularly the removal of a section on the “agricultural disparagement” law.

Science/Tech

Seaweed: The crop of Florida’s future?

WGCU News

It’s one of the most versatile types of vegetations that exists. As the citrus industry continues to falter in Florida, is seaweed be an option to become part of the Florida Agricultural Industry?

Business/Economy

The continuing struggles of Florida’s citrus

WGCU News

The struggles for Florida’s citrus industry continue to hit new lows. A report from the Department of Agriculture revealed that just over 14.5 million boxes were produced during the'25 growing season

Wind gusts from Hurricane Helene toppled center pivots at K&H Dairy Farm in Lafayette County.

Top Story

Statewide agricultural losses after Helene are estimated to be at least $40 million

Mahika Kukday

Officials said that some farmers may have avoided additional devastating losses from Helene, but only because they had not yet replanted after Debby hit just eight weeks before.

Housing

DeSantis cites 'illegal foreign workers' for veto of housing bill

News Service of Florida

A farmworker housing bill, unanimously passed by the Florida House and Senate, was vetoed by Governor DeSantis Friday. He cited "illegal foreign workers" in his veto letter.

Some of the different citrus grown at the center. The annual Open House for the UF/IFAS Southwest Florida Research and Education Center, was held Wednesday, Nov 8, 2023. This gave a chance to show anyone interested in seeing the research being done with citrus and vegetables at the center in Immokalee. The research and best practices from the University of Florida research is then passed on to our local Florida farmers. Many of the scientists had their research on display as well as a tour of the research farm was given. You can also see how artificial intelligence technology helps growers detect pests and diseases faster and more accurately. A technology that is changing the farming industry.

Environment

UF agriculture research center shows what it can do

Andrea Melendez and Tom Bayles

The open house held at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center showed off what UF agricultural researchers are doing to solve problems growing citrus and vegetables

Farmworkers and their allies marched on Palm Beach. Around 500 peaceful protesters came out on the last day of the march in support of the farmworkers. With the determination to “build a new world”, where farmworkers can live free of human rights abuses and have dignified work the Farmworkers and allies marched the 45, plus, miles. On Tuesday they left the fields of Pahokee, FL, and walked to the wealthy enclave of Palm Beach. One of the biggest goals for the march was to put pressure on Wendy’s, Publix and Kroger corporations into joining the Fair Food Program. FFP was started by the Coalition of Immokalee Workers.

Human Interest

They marched to end modern day slavery in the agricultural fields

Eileen Kelley and Andrea Melendez/WGCU Investigative Team

Farmworkers share stories of life in the Florida agricultural fields

Lucas Benitez, a farmworker and co-founder of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers was awarded the Wallenberg Medal by the University of Michigan for his extraordinary achievements in the field of human rights. Here is Benitez as he helped lead the march. Around 500 peaceful protesters came out on the last day of the march in support of the farmworkers. With the determination to “build a new world”, where farmworkers can live free of human rights abuses and have dignified work the Farmworkers and allies marched the 45, plus, miles. On Tuesday they left the fields of Pahokee, FL, and walked to the wealthy enclave of Palm Beach. One of the biggest goals for the march was to put pressure on Wendy’s, Publix and Kroger corporations into joining the Fair Food Program. FFP was started by the Coalition of Immokalee Workers.

Human Interest

Over 100 start march across Florida to protest modern slavery in the agricultural fields

Eileen Kelley and Andrea Melendez/WGCU Investigative Team

For more than a decade the Coalition of Immokalee Workers have been trying to entice giant retailers to join the Fair Food Program. Wendy's, Publix and Kroger have been hold-outs

Fifth generation farmer Roy Petteway looks at the damage to his citrus grove from the effects of Hurricane Ian on Oct. 12, 2022, in Zolfo Springs, Fla. Agriculture losses in Florida from Hurricane Ian's high winds and drenching rains could reach $1.56 billion, with citrus, cattle, vegetable and melon operations among the hardest hit, the University of Florida reported Tuesday, Oct, 18, in a preliminary estimate.

Hurricane Recovery

Hurricane Ian's estimated damage to Florida agriculture tops $1B

The News Service of Florida

A soon-to-be-released report will estimate Florida’s agriculture industry sustained about $1.07 billion in damages from Hurricane Ian, with growers of citrus, vegetable and horticultural crops taking the biggest hits from the wind, rains and flooding. But citrus growers think the estimate doesn’t show the full damage from the storm.