Southeast
Florida ag industry leader Al Finch dies
UPDATED: Al Finch, president of Florida Classic Growers Inc., died June 21. He was 55. A longtime Florida ag industry leader, Gene "Al" Allison Finch, Jr., was active in the early days of the Southeast... more »
80 Acres Farms expands production beyond Ohio
80 Acres Farms, a vertical farming company, announced on June 14 the construction of farms in Boone County, Kentucky, and Covington, Georgia, to meet growing consumer demand for local, fresh, pesticide-free food. 80 Acres Farms... more »
Sammy Duda to assume CEO role at Duda Farm Fresh Foods
Samuel “Sammy” Duda, has been named CEO-elect of vegetable and citrus grower Duda Farm Fresh Foods. He previously was president. The decision marks the culmination of a nearly year-long process led by Duda’s board of... more »
Florida’s state budget increases university ag research funds
When Florida’s state budget takes effect on July 1, it will include funding for University of Florida agricultural research. The university’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) will receive a $3.6 million increase to... more »
Florida launches Farmer Stress Awareness Initiative
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) recently launched the Farmer Stress Awareness Initiative. The FDACS initiative, announced by Florida Agricultural Secretary Nikki Fried June 2 at Plant City-based berry grower Wish Farms, is a... more »
NC State aims to grow a better strawberry
Chances are, that deep red, plump, ripe strawberry bursting with flavor that you picked fresh off the plant at your local farm was a Chandler. Or possibly a Camarosa. In a couple of years, it... more »
FreshEdge expands with City Produce acquisition
FreshEdge, a family of produce and specialty food companies, has acquired fresh food distributor City Produce, headquartered in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. For many years, City Produce has been serving North Central Florida, the Florida... more »
Orchard tour part of inaugural Florida blackberry-growing conference
Several years ago, growers asked University of Florida scientists to help them produce blackberries as part of an effort to test whether so-called “alternative” crops could grow in the Sunshine State. For alternative crops, think... more »