RFA Ethanol Podcast

Yoho: Improving the Farm Labor Shortage

Carrie Muehling

Congressman Ted Yoho of Florida’s 3rd District was at the 2020 Southeast Regional Fruit & Vegetable Conference, talking about guest worker legislation. “This is a bill that will solve a problem for illegal immigration in this country on the lower skilled tiers,” said Yoho. “We give opportunity for people before they come into the country to apply to this program. …

Audio, labor, politics, Vegetables

Senator Perdue Optimistic About China Agreement

Cindy Zimmerman

Senator David Perdue (R-GA) gave keynote remarks at the Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference in Savannah on Saturday and said he was optimistic about the phase one agreement with China being signed Wednesday helping agriculture. “I’m more optimistic than maybe some people are because I’ve been involved since the beginning,” said Perdue in a brief interview after his remarks. …

Audio, Produce, Trade, Vegetables

USDA Under Secretary Visits SE Fruit and Vegetable Growers

Cindy Zimmerman

Under Secretary of Agriculture for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney visited the Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference on Friday and talked trade issues with members of the GA Fruit & Vegetable Association before touring the trade show. With the China Phase One trade deal slated to be signed next week, and USMCA getting one step closer to …

Audio, Ethanol, Produce, Trade, USDA, Vegetables

2020 SE Regional Fruit & Vegetable Conference Underway

Chuck Zimmerman

The Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference returns to Savannah, Ga. and really kicks in to gear today. In 2019, the educational event and trade show hosted more than 3,300 attendees and 290 vendor companies. Sponsored by Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Association and the Georgia Peach Council the conference is held at the Savannah International Trade and Convention Center. The …

Ag Groups, Audio, Vegetables

Sustainable Cotton, Wheat Hybrids and More from BASF

Carrie Muehling

BASF continues to innovate in a number of agricultural spaces, including a sustainable cotton program. Working with Wrangler and other companies, products like blue jeans branded as “Rooted” can be documented as being grown through sustainable practices. “All this cotton is grown by a system of documented sustainability which we help growers with. They, through a farm management system, record …

AgWired Precision, Audio, BASF, Cotton, Vegetables, Wheat

World Food Prize Winner Announced

Carrie Muehling

The 2019 World Food Prize Laureate is Simon N. Groot of the Netherlands. Groot has played an important role in enhancing vegetable production for millions of smallholder farmers, affording consumers greater access to healthy diets in more than 60 countries. The announcement was made at a ceremony in the U.S. Department of State hosted and presided over by Secretary of …

AgWired Precision, Vegetables, World Food Prize

Celebrating 25 Years of Vidalia Onions

Lizzy Schultz

Vidalia onion growers launched the 2017 season this week, marking the 25th anniversary of the Vidalia onion trademark. Vidalia onions, grown in unique soil and climate conditions found only in 20 South Georgia counties, are revered by some of the world’s best chefs and home cooks for its sweet, distinctive flavor. The Visalia is Georgia’s official state vegetable, grown on …

specialty crops, Vegetables

Building a Better Tomato

Cindy Zimmerman

There’s a chemistry to the flavor of food but most growers simply aren’t set up for the intense process of studying and improving the tomatoes they grow, according to University of Florida horticultural science professor Harry Klee who has been researching the chemicals that contribute to tomato flavor. “Most everyone agrees there’s a huge problem with the commercial tomato and …

ASTA, Audio, Vegetables

Will FSMA Produce Regs Prove Costly to Small Farms?

Joanna Schroeder

Most of us involved in agriculture have become familiar with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) that was introduced in 2011 as the FDA’s new method of regulating the growth, harvesting, and processing of agricultural goods. While the aim of this new regulatory system is to increase food safety and reduce the prevalence of foodborne illness, there are some aspects …

Agribusiness, politics, Produce, Vegetables

International Year of the Pulses in 2016

Taylor Truckey

2016 has been declared as the International Year of Pulses (IYP) by the United Nations. Pulses are edible grain legumes – think pinto, kidney, garbanzo, lentils, and peas. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization wants the public to recognize pulses “as a primary source of protein, fiber, and other essential nutrients.” “We want to increase awareness of the importance of …

Agronomy, Crop Science, Food, Vegetables