The Week in Florida Agriculture
October 5-11, 2009
Peanut harvest is 41 percent complete, compared to 64 percent this time last year and a 5-year average of 53 percent. Peanut condition is rated 6 percent poor, 27 percent fair, 50 percent good, and 17 percent excellent. Sweet corn, eggplant and southern peas are being harvested. Peanut and cotton harvest has been delayed in parts of the Panhandle. Wet conditions have hurt condition of crops. Winter forages are being planted. Harvesting of snap beans and cucumbers continues. Planting of broccoli, cauliflower, beets, cilantro, kale and cabbage continues. Planting of cabbage continues. Winter forages are being planted. Harvesting of cucumbers continues. Farmers bailed their third and final cutting of hay. Grass growth has been limited by cool nighttime temperatures. Sugarcane cutting is about to begin. Some specialty vegetables are being marketed. Weather Update: Last week’s high temperatures averaged 3 to 8 degrees above normal. Most stations reported highs in the low- to mid-90s. Lows were in the upper-60s and 70s. Precipitation was mostly light, with many Florida Automated Weather Network (FAWN) stations reporting either no rain or only trace amounts. Widely scattered showers brought rainfall above an inch at a few locations. For updated weather impacts visit www.ag-er.blogspot.com . Forestry: October is State Forest Awareness Month. Seafood: Red grouper, scamp, amberjack, flounder, king mackerel, spiny lobster, red snapper and oysters are plentiful. October is Seafood Month. Vegetables: Tomatoes, okra, squash, and avocados are being marketed. Livestock and Pastures: In the Panhandle and northern areas, pasture condition is poor to excellent with most good. Summer pasture condition has declined seasonally as shorter days decrease growth. Small grains for winter forage are being planted. Cattle condition is poor to excellent with most good. The feed value of some pasture is low due to recent heavy rains. In the central areas, pasture condition is poor to excellent, with drought causing an increase in poor pasture condition. In the southwest, pasture condition is poor to excellent with drought hurting some of the pasture. Most pasture and cattle in the southwest are in good condition. Statewide, cattle condition is poor to excellent with most good. Citrus: A moderate heat wave gripped Florida. Highs were in the mid-90s in all areas. Lows dropped to the 70s during the evenings. Rainfall was light and scattered. Only two stations received more than an inch, and most stations received less than one-half inch. Kenansville received the most rainfall at 1.60 inches, while Frostproof recorded no precipitation. Grove activity includes limited irrigating, herbiciding, and mowing. Canker and greening surveys by growers and caretakers continue. Twenty-four packinghouses are open and shipping fruit. Four processing plants are running fruit in small quantities. Varieties being packed include early oranges (Navel, Ambersweet, and Hamlin), white and colored grapefruit, and Fallglo tangerines.
