Winter blast prompts Florida officials to push for USDA disaster assistance
The ongoing winter blast hitting the southeast has prompted Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson to request a disaster declaration and assistance for specialty crop growers throughout the state. Simpson wrote a letter to USDA... more »
2025 USDA vegetable crop report: Record yields, lower prices and mixed markets
In 2025, the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) forecasts record-setting U.S. average yields for potatoes, California processing tomatoes and dry edible beans (excluding chickpeas), according to the USDA Vegetables and Pulses Outlook Report for... more »
Meet the 2025 Michigan Master Farmers: Fusilier Family Farms, Sarah Black
Michigan hort society names award recipients Celebrating the achievements of individuals whose contributions have shaped Michigan’s agricultural landscape, the Michigan Vegetable Council’s Master Farmer Award and Master Farmer Associate Award honored Fusilier Family Farms and... more »
Produce leader bemoans Mexican import impacts, requests seasonal safeguards
Mike Joyner, president, Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association (FFVA), has expressed concerns about the impact of produce imports from Mexico under the current U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Joyner reports significant losses in sales, market share and... more »
Hollabaugh’s Pennsylvania vegetable, farm market success
Moving into vegetable crops and other tree fruit has helped Pennsylvania apple grower Hollabaugh Bros. Fruit Farm & Market diversify through seven decades of successful growing. While apples and peaches remain its core crops, Hollabaugh... more »
Lipman’s national Days of Good November charitable efforts
Lipman Family Farms is putting its values into action nationwide during the company’s sixth annual Days of Good charitable effort. What began as a single day of service has grown into a month-long tradition of... more »
Rodent attack: How growers can battle rat, squirrel, gopher damage
Battling burrowing rodent wildlife pests is more challenging today than a couple of decades ago. Last year saw a spike in vole numbers throughout the western U.S., said Roger Baldwin, a University of California Cooperative... more »
Veg Connections: Cellulose mulch shows promise for sustainable agriculture
As growers face increasing pressure to reduce plastic use while maintaining productivity, researcher Tian Li and her team at Purdue University have developed a new Janus cellulose mulch (JCM) that matches the performance of traditional... more »
FIRA USA robotics conference returns
The fourth edition of the International Forum of Agricultural Robotics, or FIRA USA, brings new ways growers can learn about farm automation and interact with technology providers to help them better run their operations. Scheduled... more »
IFPA announces 2026 board of directors
The head of a Florida-based tomato grower-packer-distributor is on the executive leadership team of the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA). Elyse Lipman, CEO of Lipman Family Farms in Immokalee, Florida, is IFPA’s 2026 chair-elect. The... more »
