Southeast
National ag groups applaud AEWR decision
A federal court in Louisiana on Aug. 27 vacated the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) 2023 Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) Methodology rule, bringing a much-needed measure of wage stability for agricultural employers as Florida... more »
Johnny Barnes, North Carolina sweet potato grower, remembered
Johnny Barnes, a leading North Carolina sweet potato grower and agriculture advocate, has died. Barnes, 61, died July 12 after complications from a recent illness. A lifelong resident of... more »
Five state coalition demands USDA AEWR transparency
Five states and 30 grower and produce organizations have organized to press the USDA on how it calculates the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR), which determines minimum wages under the H-2A agricultural guest-worker program. The... more »
Bedner Growers: Popular South Florida agritourism, farm market destination
Agritourism and farm markets have helped Bedner Growers survive and expand as a South Florida vegetable growing operation in its fifth generation. Based in Boynton Beach, Florida, the Bedners grow a variety of vegetables, including... more »
Georgia study examining non-fresh market fruit
The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA) is looking into how products can be developed from culls or non-No. 1 fresh fruit. The LaGrange, Georgia-based GFVGA has secured funding to study the development of... more »
New UF/IFAS plant pathologist helps Everglades Agricultural Area growers battle diseases
Farmers in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) have a powerful new ally in the fight against crop diseases. Monica Navia-Urrutia is a plant pathologist at the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences... more »
UF sweet corn researcher awarded prestigious academic honor
University of Florida (UF) horticultural sciences’ Marcio Resende has received a distinguished academic appointment. Resende, an Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) assistant professor of corn and potato... more »
Wish Farms making a difference with berries
Wish Farms, based in Plant City, Florida, is an international berry grower, shipper and marketer, with its fourth generation actively engaged in its everyday operations. The multi-generational family business traces its roots to 1922. Founded... more »