The Week in Florida Agriculture
February 15-21, 2010
Producers were unable to lay plastic due to wet, cold conditions. Some cotton remains in fields. Hay supplies are short. Strawberries are recovering well and supply is increasing. Potato harvest is under way in fields that were not affected by the freeze. Replanting of potatoes continues. Sugarcane yields are reduced. Cold temperatures continue to slow the growth of vegetables. Freeze damage to foliage is becoming more apparent and is more prevalent than originally observed. Weather Summary: Very little rainfall, cool temperatures continued. 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: Beeliner and red snapper, grouper and amberjack are plentiful. Oyster and stone crab claw harvests are increasing. Vegetables: Snap beans, cabbage, celery, sweet corn, eggplant, endive, escarole, peppers, radishes, squash, strawberries, and tomatoes are being marketed. Livestock and Pastures: Pasture condition throughout the state ranges from very poor to good. Hay feeding is active and hay supplies are getting low. Pasture grasses continue to recover slowly from the January frost and benefited from recent rain. Statewide, cattle condition is very poor to excellent, with most fair. Citrus: One packinghouse has closed for the season, but others remain open. Varieties being packed include midseason and late oranges, Temples (included in early-mid), Valencia, white and colored grapefruit, Navels, a few tangelos, and Honey tangerines. Seventeen processors are open and accepting fruit. Early, midseason, late oranges, and grapefruit comprised the majority of fruit going to the plants.
