The Week in Florida Agriculture
August 4-10, 2009
Hay is being baled in northern fields as weather allows. Peanut pegging continue with 85 percent complete, compared with 98 percent this time last year and a five-year average of 96 percent. Peanut condition is rated 1 percent poor, 15 percent fair, 66 percent good, and 18 percent excellent. Cotton fields are being treated for insects. Corn harvest has been delayed by rain. Drier conditions last week have allowed second cutting of hay to progress rapidly with good yields reported. Tomatoes are being planted. Corn harvest has been delayed by rain. Fields are being prepared for planting of fall vegetables. Some fields have standing water. Activity is increasing as fields are being prepared for planting of fall vegetables. Growers are laying plastic sheeting as they prepare vegetable fields for planting. Forestry: Longleaf pine cone crop is exceptional across the state again this year. Tree nursery crops are growing well with favorable moisture and temperature conditions continuing. Seafood: Red grouper, red snapper, mahi-mahi, amberjack, wahoo, spiny lobster and clams are plentiful. Vegetables: Okra and avocados continue to be marketed. Livestock and Pastures: Pasture condition is good and livestock are doing well on the abundant pasture grass. In the Panhandle and northern areas, pasture condition is fair to excellent with most good. Pastures are holding steady and cattle condition is generally good. Pasture condition varies depending, in part, on how much fertilizer was applied earlier in the season. In the central areas, pasture condition is mostly good, but some locations suffer from drought while other locations have standing water due to recent heavy rain. In the southern areas, pasture condition varies from poor to excellent, with localized flooding in low-lying areas affecting pasture condition. Statewide, cattle condition ranges from poor to excellent with most in good condition. Citrus: Florida’s entire citrus belt recorded some rainfall for the week ranging from one-half an inch to just over 2 inches. Citrus trees in well-tended groves are in good to excellent condition as a result of short summer rains and lots of sunshine. Groves receiving little or no care are declining quickly due to citrus tristeza virus, young tree decline, and canker. Daily highs reached the low- to mid-90s in all monitored areas. The warmest temperatures were in Sebring at over 96 degrees, followed by Ona at 95 degrees. Caretakers are mowing, chopping and disking cover crops, and applying summer fertilizations, herbicide treatments, and sprays on fresh fruit crops. Dead trees are being removed and burned, and some resets are being planted.
