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August 2013

Upcoming Events

Pruning Blueberry Plants for Potential Mechanical Harvest Florida Agriculture Financial Management Conference

2013 Farm Labor Supervisor Core Trainings Regional Educational Opportunities for Those Engaged in

Agricultural Pile Burning Florida Blueberry Growers Association Fall Seminar

Fresh Citrus Growers Participate in “Fast Track Program”

Meetings Basin Management Action Plans and BMPs

Farm to School Program CHMA Map of the Month

Central Florida

and Fruit Crops Update

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Upcoming Events

August 21 Certified Pile Burner Training at the Polk Co. Extension Off. in Bartow

August 29 Packinghouse Day—Citrus Res. and Education Center in Lake Alfred

September 5 Cert. Pile Burner Trn. at the Volusia Co. Extension Off. in DeLand

September 19 Florida Blueberry Growers Association Fall Seminar at the Trinkle

Center in Plant City

September 26 Fruit Production Workshop at the Osceola County Extension Office

in Kissimmee

October 4 Commercial Shade Houses, Greenhouses, High Tunnels and

Hydroponics at the Volusia County Extension Office in DeLand, FL

October 9 Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) Seminar at the Lake County Agricultural

Center in Tavares

October 10 Building Your Own Farm’s Food Safety Manual at the Lake County

Agricultural Center in Tavares

October 21-22 Florida Agricultural Financial Management Conference in Orlando

October 25 Farm Safety Day at the Lake County Agricultural Center in Tavares

November 21 Hydrogen Cyanamide Use in Commercial Blueberries Workshop at

the Lake County Agricultural Center in Tavares

December 10 Winter Weather School at the Lake County Agricultural Center in

Tavares

Pruning Blueberry Plants for Potential Mechanical Harvest

Most producers of perishable crops in Florida agree that the future of an

abundant work force to assist with production and harvest is at best uncertain. With this in mind, there has been an enhanced effort by growers

to explore mechanical harvest as a supplement to or replacement of hand harvesting of perishable fruit crops.

Blueberry growers have become especially interested in the potential of

implementing mechanical harvest of fresh market fruit. Several growers have purchased mechanical harvesters to supplement their hand harvest

operations.

Several factors, including appropriate cultivars and horticultural practices, are necessary considerations for successful mechanical harvest of

blueberries for the fresh market. One of the most important horticultural

practices for enhancing the success of mechanical harvest of blueberries for the fresh market is proper pruning techniques starting at initial planting and

including every successive season.

Bill Cline, a blueberry researcher from North Carolina State University, gave an excellent presentation on “Blueberry Pruning for Mechanical Harvest” at

the Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference in Savannah, GA in January. In the presentation, Bill reviewed experiences of mechanical

harvest in North Carolina and the cultivars that may be adapted. He did point out that at this time, no one is mechanically harvesting their entire

crop and it is typical to start with one or two hand harvests then transition to mechanical.

In the presentation, Bill emphasized the benefits of pruning such as

managing height, enhancing development of strong new growth which

bears the majority of marketable fruit, preventing over-cropping and altering ripening period. During the period starting after planting through

the life of the bush, Bill recommends promoting strong upright growth and eliminating cross-over branching and weak (twiggy) growth. The

presentation has an excellent depiction of step by step pruning instructions presented in the form of color coded drawings and photos of the blueberry

bush. This is good pruning information whether you plan to utilize mechanical harvest or not.

Bill provided a copy of his presentation which I have linked below for your

review: http://lake.ifas.ufl.edu/agriculture/citrus/documents/

ClineBBpruningSavannah12jan13b.pdf

Florida Agriculture Financial Management Conference

The 2013 Florida Agriculture Financial Management Conference will be held

at the Omni Orlando Resort at Champions Gate on October 22-22. This is an excellent opportunity to learn the latest in business management

practices, including possible compliance impacts of the new Patient Protection Affordable Care Act, from a knowledgeable group of presenters.

To find out more information on this important conference sponsored in part by FDACS through a USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant, follow the link

below:

http://lake.ifas.ufl.edu/agriculture/citrus/documents/2FAFMCPressRelease.pdf

2013 Farm Labor Supervisor Core Trainings

Farm Labor Supervisor Core Trainings will be held throughout the state

during September and October. Please follow a link below for more information:

English: http://lake.ifas.ufl.edu/agriculture/citrus/documents/SinglePageFlyer2013E.pdf

Español: http://lake.ifas.ufl.edu/agriculture/citrus/documents/SPSinglePageFlyer2013.pdf

Regional Educational Opportunities for Those Engaged in

Agricultural Pile Burning

The on-site burning of vegetative material associated with the cultivation of the land, including fruit crop production, is included in the definition of

Agricultural Pile Burning. One who conducts agricultural pile burning must obtain a permit from the Florida Division of Forestry, the agency that

regulates such activity throughout the state.

There are two designations where organizations may be able to receive a burn permit for agricultural related pile burning operations during times

when the general public would normally not be able. First, the Citrus Spot Burner Designation is for a landowner who will conduct pile burning on a

particular spot on their property that has been approved by a Division of Forestry Local Forester (http://www.floridaforestservice.com/

field_operations/county_foresters/). The second designation is the

Certified Pile Burner. Participants in this program normally burn 20 or more days a year. Typically those with Certified Pile Burner designation can burn

on days when the general public cannot; additionally they may be able to start burning earlier and end later in the day.

Those wishing to participate in the Citrus Spot Burner program should

attend a training scheduled for Thursday, September 26, 2013 in Bartow. Follow link for additional information:

http://lake.ifas.ufl.edu/agriculture/citrus/documents/

citrus_spot_burner_letter_2013.pdf

Those wishing to participate in the Certified Pile Burner program must attend a training and pass an exam, then complete a Certification Burn

within one year. The certification period is 5 years and does not expire if

you register at least 5 burns within that time frame.

Certified Pile Burner Classers scheduled within the region are linked below:

Polk County—August 21, 2013: http://lake.ifas.ufl.edu/agriculture/citrus/documents/

pile_burning_polk_aug2013.pdf

Volusia County—September 5, 2013; http://lake.ifas.ufl.edu/agriculture/citrus/documents/

pile_burning_DeLand_sept2013.pdf

Florida Blueberry Growers Association Fall Seminar

The time for the annual Florida Blueberry Growers Association Fall Seminar

time has been moved up a month and will take place on Thursday September 19, 2013 at the Trinkle Center on the Campus of Hillsborough

Community College in Plant City.

Some topics of interest being covered: Blueberry Cultivars

US Highbush Blueberry Council Research and Promotion Efforts

Hydrogen Cyanamide and Pruning On Farm Research

Chili Thrips Management

Registration form below:

http://lake.ifas.ufl.edu/agriculture/citrus/documents/sep_registration.pdf

Fresh Citrus Growers Participate in “Fast Track Program” Meetings

Over the last couple of weeks, the New Varieties Development and

Management Corporation, UF/IFAS Extension Researchers and Florida Foundation Seed conducted meetings around the state with growers who

may be interested in the “Fast Track” program for evaluating promising new citrus cultivars. The meetings were informative and generated good

question and answer opportunities.

Growers who participate in this program will be able to purchase trees at a reduced royalty and also have a head start on other growers, should the

cultivar(s) they choose to evaluate proceed on to commercial release to the Florida citrus industry.

If you did not have a chance to participate in one of the meetings, I have

placed some information about the program and how to contact New

Varieties Development and Management Corporation below: http://lake.ifas.ufl.edu/agriculture/citrus/documents/the_new_age_of_variety_evaluation_may_29_2013.pdf

http://www.nvdmc.org/contact.html

Basin Management Action Plans and BMPs

In an effort to address the issue of “impaired” waters, the Florida

Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has created an approach known as Basin Management Action Plans (BMAP). BMAPs are issued for

individual watersheds or systems. The mission in each BMAP is to reduce pollutant loading to the point that

it is below the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) established for

the particular watershed.

The map at the left depicts adopted, under development and

future BMAPs along with areas undergoing restoration. DEP

plans to utilize tactics such as

limits on wastewater facilities, urban and agricultural best

management practices, conservation programs, financial

assistance and revenue generating activities, etc.--

designed to implement the pollutant reductions established

by the TMDL for each watershed contained within a BMAP. Input

from local stakeholders are utilized to develop a BMAP before

they are adopted and made enforceable. To see a detailed

look at past, present and future meetings, etc. for all BMAPs, follow the link

below: http://www.dep.state.fl.us/water/watersheds/bmap.htm

You will note that one of the main tactics being utilized to meet the TMDL

for each BMAP is agricultural best management practices (BMPs). BMPs are science based programs developed to assist the agricultural industry to

profitably produce their particular commodity(s) with presumed compliance with TMDLs by regulatory agencies. Participation in an appropriate BMP

program for your operation is recommended, as the alternative in most BMAPs would be a costly monitoring program. For information, contact

your Extension Office or follow the link below: http://www.floridaagwaterpolicy.com/BestManagementPractices.html

Farm to School Program

Florida growers will have the opportunity to connect with local school systems to potentially supply fresh Florida produce. The Press Release

below outlines some of the highlights of the program. If you are interested in potentially participating in the program or would like further information,

please contact our District Farm to School Coordinator, Amy Warwick, whose contact information is included in the Press Release.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE, UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES, Dr. Nick Place, Director, in cooperation with the

United States Department of Agriculture, publishes this information to further the purpose of the May 8 and June 30, 1914 Acts of Congress; and is authorized to provide research, educational

information, and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation,

marital status, national origin, political opinions, or affiliations. Single copies of extension publications (excluding 4-H and youth publications) are available free to Florida residents from

county extension offices. Information about alternate formats is available from IFAS Communication Services, University of Florida, PO Box 110810, Gainesville, FL 32611-0810.

CHMA Map of the Month

The map below is for the Seminole/East Orange CHMA from June 21. The red arrows

represent increasing psyllid populations in that area. In depth interpretation of these

results can be obtained by logging in to the CHMA Sectional Mapping Program on the

CHMA Website Main Page:

http://www.crec.ifas.ufl.edu/extension/chmas/index.shtml

Central Florida Citruslines and Fruit Crops Update is published 6 times a year by the Central Florida Fruit Crops Advisory Committee and Central Florida Fruit Crops Extension Program: Gary K. England—Multi-county Extension Agent III gke@ufl.edu