The Week in Florida Agriculture
December 7-13, 2009
Cotton harvest continues slowly as rainy weather hampers progress. Peanut harvest is complete. A few fields have been abandoned due to low quality. Harvesting of greens continues. Wet conditions have hindered cotton harvest in the western Panhandle with a substantial amount still in the fields. Wet weather has significantly reduced wheat acreage causing below-average row crop yields. Corn harvest is complete. Growers are harvesting vegetables, watermelon, herbs and specialty items. Sugarcane harvest continues. Vegetable harvest continues. Weather Summary: Surplus rain in northern Florida. Seafood: Red grouper, scamp, mangrove snapper, beeliner snapper, swordfish, mako shark, amberjack and yellowfin tuna are plentiful. 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. Vegetables: Endive and escarole are moving through the market. Avocado harvest is ending. Sweet corn, radishes, snap beans, cucumbers, eggplants, peppers, squash, strawberries, and tomatoes are being marketed as well. Volumes continue to be light due to below-normal yields. Livestock and Pastures: Winter annual pasture planting continues. Statewide, pasture is mostly fair. Statewide, cattle condition is poor to excellent with most fair to good. Citrus: Heavier-than-normal rainfall over the previous week and the beginning of this week lessened the mild drought conditions which had been negatively affecting fruit size. Most of the packinghouses are open. Varieties being packed include early oranges (Navel and Hamlin), white and colored grapefruit, and early tangerines (predominately Sunburst). Eighteen processors have opened and are accepting fruit. Early and midseason oranges and grapefruit comprise the majority of fruit going to the plants. 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and other commercial sites have an opportunity in December to safely and legally dispose of pesticides that are outdated, outlawed, or packed in deteriorating containers under a 10-year-old state program called “Operation Cleansweep.”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
