The Week in Florida Agriculture
August 25-31, 2008
Peanut condition is rated 4 percent poor, 21 percent fair, 56 percent good, and 19 percent excellent. Some fields still have excess moisture from Tropical Storm Fay. Areas that received heavy rainfall are experiencing more disease pressure. As fields dry, farmers are applying fungicide to improve crop conditions. Peanut crop is nearing maturity. Some of the pecan crop was lost due to Tropical Storm Fay and many fields are still flooded. Difficulty pumping water off of fields is delaying vegetable land preparation and planting. Due to Tropical Storm Fay, growers missed one cutting of hay resulting in a 33 percent loss. Twenty acres of vegetables were damaged (peppers and eggplant). Damage to peanuts is undetermined. Most pastures are very wet or flooded from the tropical storm. Vegetables: Okra and avocados continue to be marketed due to a high demand. Field work is being postponed in some areas due to standing water. Seafood: Commercial harvesters and wholesalers report that Tropical Storm Fay caused Florida spiny lobster to move around more making them quite plentiful. This situation has also reduced the current dockside price lower than 2007. Livestock and Pastures: Pasture flooding was reported in each area due to Tropical Storm Fay, with more flooded pastures noted in the northern and eastern counties. In the Panhandle areas, pasture condition is mainly in good condition. In the northern areas, pasture is in poor too excellent condition with several locations with flooded pasture. In the central and southwest areas, pasture condition is mostly good. Statewide, cattle condition is fair to excellent with most in each area in good condition. Citrus: All monitored areas across the citrus belt had at least a half inch of rainfall during the week. Growers in areas that were heavily affected by Tropical Storm Fay are still busy pumping excess water out of canals and ditches. Standing water in isolated areas may pose a problem if left in the groves too long. Most all areas are not totally recovered from recent heavy rainfall and caretakers have not resumed normal grove maintenance activities. Those fortunate enough to have dry groves are able to mow middles and perform basic grove maintenance. The citrus crop remains in good condition and growers and owners look forward to a good season. Oranges are as large as baseball size and grapefruit about softball size. Precipitation: Scattered rainfall was received across the state during the week. Hillsborough, St. Johns, Broward, and Dade counties recorded the most precipitation, with 2-3 inches. Additional rainfall added to already-drenched citrus groves. Lake Alfred had the most rainfall at almost 6 inches. Balm, on the west coast, had over 1 1/2 inches. All monitored areas across the citrus belt had at least a half inch of rainfall during the week. Soil moisture is reported as mostly adequate to surplus in the Panhandle and central Peninsulas and adequate in the southern Peninsula.
