The Week in Florida Agriculture
November 30 - December 6, 2009
Cotton is being picked in the Panhandle; yields vary. Peanut harvesting is 98 percent complete, compared to 100 percent at this time last year and a five-year average of 99 percent. Soybean harvest continues. Fields are being prepared for potato planting. Unfavorable weather conditions in previous weeks significantly reduced vegetable volumes in southern Florida. Caladiums will be harvested soon. Sugarcane harvest continues. Weather Summary: Cooler temperatures; rain in central and southern Florida. Forestry: Landowners are beginning to plant bare-root tree seedlings. Forestry officials remind landowners who are preparing for dormant season prescribed burning to develop plans and obtain authorizations. Seafood: Black grouper, red grouper, amberjack, oysters, triggerfish, red snapper, swordfish, mako shark and yellowfin tuna are plentiful. Vegetables: Light volumes of strawberries, broccoli and cabbage are being harvested. Sweet corn, watermelons, radishes, snap beans, cucumbers, eggplants, okra, peppers, squash, tomatoes and avocados are moving through the market. Livestock and Pastures: Pasture condition has improved slightly, but freezing temperatures burned some forage in the Panhandle and northern areas. Statewide, cattle condition ranges from poor to excellent, with most fair to good. Citrus: Forty-four packinghouses are open and shipping fruit. Shipment of fresh fruit has been slow, but is expected to increase slightly with fundraising programs starting. Varieties being packed include early oranges (Navel and Hamlin), white and colored grapefruit, and early tangerines (mostly Sunburst and a few Fallglo, which are almost finished). Ten processors are open and accepting fruit. Early and midseason oranges and grapefruit comprise the majority of fruit being processed. Hazardous Materials Disposal Program: Farmers, businesses and other commercial sites have an opportunity in December to safely and legally dispose of pesticides that are outdated, outlawed, or packed in deteriorating containers under a 10-year-old state program called “Operation Cleansweep.” Call 1-877-851-5285 to make an appointment for a state vendor to come to your site to package and haul away the materials. When calling, be prepared to provide information about the amount and types of hazardous material, and whether it is a solid or a liquid. The signup form can be downloaded from www.flaes.org/pdf/Flyer.pdf
