The Week in Florida Agriculture
July 7-13, 2008
Growers in the Panhandle are applying fungicides and herbicides. Peanut pegging is 60 percent completed, compared to 51 percent at this time last year. Peanut condition is rated 18 percent fair, 68 percent good, and 14 percent excellent. Rainfall has improved condition of pastures. Condition of grass and cattle have improved. Large amounts of hay are being baled. Vegetables: Vegetable harvesting is nearly completed for most crops. Producers are marketing avocadoes, okra, watermelon and tomatoes. Citrus: The daily showers have been beneficial to the growth of foliage and new fruit. Trees look good in all areas, due to the favorable weather over the past several weeks. Valencia harvest is essentially over for the season. Growers are now focusing on grove maintenance, scheduled management practices, canker and psyllid control. Next season’s fruit is sizing well across the state and growers have a positive outlook for the crop. Livestock and Pastures: Pasture condition is fair to good in the Panhandle and northern areas. Most cattle are in fair to good condition. Pasture in the central area is poor to excellent. The cattle condition has improved with enhanced forage. Hay making is active. The condition of the cattle is poor to excellent. In the southwestern area, pasture and cattle condition is mainly in good condition. Statewide, cattle condition is mainly in good condition. Drought Update: Most counties throughout the state reported at least one inch of rain during the week. Alachua County reported 5.12 inches and Collier County reported 4.66 inches. Levy, Orange, and Highlands counties all reported about 3.50 inches of rain. Most locations reported that drought conditions have been eliminated or almost quenched. Lake Okeechobee level is at 10.17 feet and rising.
