Melons
Five years after deadly E. Coli outbreak, Salinas Valley farmers struggle to rebound
Five years after their healthy-looking green fields became the epicenter of a national food disaster, farmers in the Salinas Valley are still working to regain something even the most bountiful harvest can't ensure: the public's... more »
E-Verify contributes to labor shortages across the country
Congress hadn't passed mandatory E-Verify as of late October, but the threat that it might do so lingered over the country's fields and orchards for much of 2011. Just the rumor of E-Verify was enough... more »
President’s visit a boost for Illinois farm market
Bruce was knee-deep in vines, picking watermelons, when his cellphone rang."Is this Bruce Curry?" a voice asked."Yes," Bruce affirmed."Mr. Curry, I'm calling from the White House.""You mean the one in Washington, D.C.?"Bruce Curry owns Country... more »
Vegetable growers have a lot to learn at the 2011 EXPO
Vegetable growers have a lot to learn at the 2011 EXPOThis year's Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market EXPO will offer a variety of educational sessions and special events. There should be something of... more »
Monsanto sprouting a produce-seed line
Monsanto Co., whose genetically modified corn and soybeans have reshaped America's heartland and rallied a nation of fast-food foes, wants to revolutionize the produce aisle. The agribusiness giant already has quietly stepped into the marketplace... more »
Listeria outbreak devastates California cantaloupes
On an October day in the midst of harvest season, two farmworkers sat idly in their home in a Central California town that touts itself as "the cantaloupe center of the world." Associated PressTo read... more »
Rocky Ford cantaloupe growers reeling from “”listeria hysteria””
Roy Allen drove down from Wyoming, as he does every year on his way to a family reunion in Texas, and pulled into Smith's Corner, one of the few produce stands still open in early... more »
Vegetable production and pest management
Two-spotted Spider Mite in TomatoesMike Roegge recently reported twospotted spider mite infestations that required treatment in tomatoes near Quincy. Hot, dry weather may trigger similar problems in many other fields as well. Miticides that are... more »
Watermelon mosaic virus detected in winter squash
Watermelon mosaic virus 2 (WMV2) was confirmed by Jan Byrne, plant pathology diagnostician from MSU Diagnostic Services, on winter squash. Several viruses infect and damage squash, cucumbers and pumpkins in Michigan, but WMV2 is the... more »
USDA finalizes national watermelon promotion board redistricting
USDA announced that it is adopting the final rule to add two importer seats and change the boundaries of all districts under the Watermelon Research and Promotion Plan.At least once every five years, pursuant to... more »
