To keep horses healthy, core vaccines are needed including West Nile Virus, Eastern and Western Equine Encephalomyelitis, tetanus and rabies. For West Nile Virus and Eastern and Western Equine Encephalomyelitis, the vaccines should be given every 6 months due to the population of mosquitos in Florida year-round. Consult a veterinarian when deciding which vaccines to give a horse.
The numbers were released for the 2022-2023 Florida citrus season, and it shows a significant drop from last year's season, 15.85 million boxes compared to last year's 41.2 million boxes. This is the worst season that Florida has seen in almost a century: the 1929-1930 season. Hurricane Ian made a huge impact on the groves this year, and chances of next year's season improving are slim as stressed trees are recovering and new trees are being...
Orange is the new Black? More like Bamboo is the new citrus. Grove owners have been looking for a new crop to take place of greening infested groves. Bamboo offers strong and flexible fibers, flavorful shoots that can be used in many different dishes, medicinal properties, sustainable timber and artistic properties, and bamboo is eco-friendly. By growing bamboo, grove owners can open many doors to other industries to grow here in Florida. ...
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) was found in Northwest Florida and officials are working quickly to collect samples to see how much the disease has spread so far. The first deer in Florida that tested positive was a "road-killed" doe found in Holmes County. CWD has been described as being similar to mad cow disease in cattle as it effects the nervous system and neurological state of the animal.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that it will be investing at least $500 million in wildlife conservation over the next 5 years. This includes using the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to assist farmers, ranchers, private forest owners, and tribes by focusing on working lands and hiring for those key positions.
Lab-grown chicken products from the companies GOOD Meat and UPSIDE have been cleared by the USDA for sale in the United States. This lab-grown meat is made by taking stem cells from an animal and then feeding it with the required nutrients in a machine called a bioreactor before it is separated by a centrifuge.
In some cases, pesticides are not needed to control an undesirable pest, simply releasing the undesirable pest's predator can naturally eradicate the problem. Ayanava Majumdar, an Alabama Extension entomologist says that this option is commercially available to specialty crop growers. One example of a predator is the green lacewing who feeds on aphids, mites and whiteflies, and also the larvae of fruitworms, armyworms and loopers. Majumdar said....
One field in North Florida has confirmed the presence of Downy Mildew in watermelon fields, South Georgia and South Alabama should be on the lookout as this disease spreads rapidly by wind. “The way that this disease typically moves, it moves from south to north." said Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Regional Specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, FL.
A male Peach fruit fly was found in a trap near Davie, FL earlier this month. This fly is active for the whole year and is considered a very serious pest as it attacks over 50 different species. Similar to the Oriental fruit fly, these 2 species are attracted to the same lure and trap, cause similar damage, and often compete against each other. A perimeter has been set up in multiple cities surrounding Davie, FL with traps being monitored by...
With many new plantings being done every day in Florida, Phytophthora is becoming a growing as it contributes to losses of 3% to 6% every year, which is the equivalent of $20 million annually. A recommendation that Megan Dewdney, UF/IFAS assistant professor of plant pathology, gives is to make sure that the plant graft union is 6 to 9 inches above the soil during planting. The UF/IFAS 2022-2023 Florida Citrus Production Guide is a good resource...
