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Alternative
Vegetable Crops
Farmers in the Suwannee Valley area of north Florida have been diversifying
enterprises continuously for the past 10 to 15 years. Traditional
dependable enterprises such as tobacco, grain crops, swine, and others have all
declined in north Florida. A stable and dependable income from a crop like
tobacco is difficult to replace. Alternative crops have been successfully
adopted by many growers while others have been unsuccessful.
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Hydroponics
Florida is the leading state for field production of
vegetables, including sweet corn, cucumbers, and snap beans, and second
for tomato, pepper, watermelon, and strawberry. The Sunshine State also is
a leading producer of greenhouse-grown vegetables, including herbs and specialty
crops. While some might be surprised to find Florida among the top
greenhouse states, there are several reasons for the success of the the
greenhouse industry. More......
Methyl Bromide
Alternatives
Plasticulture is important to the success of the vegetable
industry in Florida. Soil fumigation using methyl bromide and chloropicrin
has been a standard component for the plasticulture system. The EPA has
legislated the phase-out of methyl bromide by 2005 and this has resulted in
increased costs and reduced supplies. Effective alternatives to methyl
bromide are needed to maintain profitability in vegetable production using
plasticulture. More......
Variety Evaluations
Florida ranks second among the states in
fresh market vegetable production on the basis of area under cultivation (10%),
production (9%) and value (13%) of the crops grown. In 2000-2001, vegetables
harvested from 281,000 acres had a farm value exceeding 1.7 billion dollars.
More than 40 different crops are grown commercially and 12 of these have a farm
value exceeding 10 million dollars. Commercial vegetable production occurs in
almost every county in the state, but is most concentrated in the peninsula,
particularly the southern half.
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