More in Vegetables

Apr. 9, 2012

Article

‘Sweetest’ strawberries will sell out before, during annual festival

Spring is strawberry time in South Texas and an area known as the Coastal Prairie Artesian region is considered to grow the sweetest strawberries in the state, especially in and around Poteet, Texas, just south of San Antonio....More
Apr. 3, 2012

Article

New law may rekindle New Mexico chile industry

The challenges remain — cheaper foreign imports, a 73-percent crop acreage decline in the last 20 years, crop diseases, and farm labor uncertainties — which point to continued tests for the New Mexico chile pepper industry. Yet, a new piece of legislation may help rekindle prosperity for the New Mexico chile industry....More
Mar. 9, 2012

Article

New Mexico Chile crop struggles for comeback in a modern world

In the United States corn is king in Iowa. Texas produces the most cotton. Florida is known for its citrus groves and Kansas rules in wheat production. The potato is tops in Idaho and Arkansas is known for its rice. But in the Land of Enchantment—New Mexico—the most common question asked in restaurants, supermarkets and wholesale packing houses is “do you want green or red?” –referring to the state’s most fabled crop, the chile pepper...More
Mar. 8, 2012

Article

Market, smaller crop may help onion growers salvage year

A depressed onion market last month is showing some early signs of recovery, providing a glimmer of hope to Texas onion producers that this year’s smaller harvest will help to erase the memory of heavy losses experienced last year when the market tanked because of large inventories that exceeded demands....More
Mar. 1, 2012

Article

FDA warns food industry about losses if funding is not provided for food safety

U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Margaret Hamburg is warning the food industry that foodborne illnesses threaten their operations because the public reacts negatively to outbreaks of food-related health issues....More
Feb. 9, 2012

Article

First phase of Rio Grande Produce Park opens in Valley

Produce production in the Texas Rio Grande Valley has greatly diminished in recent years with the advent of intense urban development and as the result of hefty competition from Mexican imports....More
Feb. 6, 2012

Article

Southeast Farm Press

Alabama conducting immigration law impact survey

In an effort to gauge current and potential labor shortages resulting from enactment of the state’s immigration law, the Alabama Agribusiness Council (AAC) is asking farmers, producers and agribusinesses to complete a Web-based survey by Feb. 13.  ...More
Jan. 20, 2012

Article

Produce transportation guidelines assist industry and reduce disputes

Produce transportation group releases best practices. The document is available free of charge to the produce industry and carriers....More
Jan. 19, 2012

Article

Southeast Farm Press

Weather delays Florida tomato shipments

The start of the Florida tomato season was delayed by unusually warm weather and heavy rains during September and October....More
Jan. 11, 2012

Article

Sub-tropical research center falls victim to federal budget woes

Known for such pioneering work as boll weevil eradication in cotton, fever tick eradication in cattle, control and eradication of invading tropical fruit flies, citrus greening and zebra chip research, the USDA-ARS Kika de la Garza Research Center in Weslaco is the only facility on the U.S. mainland that researches quarantine issues related to tropical pests, and one of only four that does work on honey bees....More
Jan. 9, 2012

Article

Texas, Florida tomato growers welcome new virus-resistant T-5 variety

Field tomato growers from Texas to Florida say a new virus-resistant tomato variety developed by vegetable breeders at Texas A&M University may provide a glimmer of hope for an industry that has been decimated by a raging virus complex spread by the dreaded whitefly, an outbreak so...More
Dec. 13, 2011

Article

Health attributes shifting produce to center of plate

A shift of fresh fruits and vegetables from a side dish at the meal table to the middle of the consumer’s dinner plate makes today an exciting time for the U.S. produce industry. Pushing produce to plate center is tied to the healthy attributes associated with fruit and vegetables. Results from a survey of 500 chefs suggest improving flavor is the best way to increase fresh fruit and vegetable consumption....More
Dec. 12, 2011

Article

Farms needing crucial migrant labor face daunting regulations

As food prices rise and vegetable/fruit crops rot in some Southeast fields awaiting harvest, the value of farm labor has never been clearer....More
Nov. 28, 2011

Article

Specialty melons offer promising drought resistance

Texas melon growers may soon have more than just cantaloupe and honeydews to grow in their fields thanks to ongoing research and trials being conducted across the state, and these new melon varieties could make drought conditions more tolerable for producers struggling with water issues...More
Nov. 23, 2011

video

Farmland Visions: the People and Places of Southwest Agriculture 1

Farmland visions: the People and Places of Southwest Agriculture, is a collage of photographs by Southwest Farm Press Editor Ron Smith that shows some of the haunting beauty of the rural Southwest, along with some of the people who raise the livestock, grain and cotton that defines the region....More
Nov. 22, 2011

Article

Leskovar appointed resident director of AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Uvalde

Dr. Daniel Leskovar has been named resident director of the Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Uvalde, effective immediately...More
Nov. 18, 2011

Article

Florida lab study shows Salmonella can enter tomatoes through leaves

Food-safety experts have long believed that Salmonella bacteria could only enter tomatoes through wounds in the stem or fruit — but a new University of Florida laboratory study shows it can also happen another way....More
Nov. 11, 2011

Article

2011 weak markets push down South Texas onion acreage

With just a few planting days remaining, the 2011/2012 onion crop in the Lower Rio Grande Valley will likely be down by as much as 20 percent compared to last year due to a weak market, according to Dr. Juan Anciso, a Texas AgriLife Extension Service vegetable specialist in Weslaco....More
Nov. 11, 2011

Article

NMSU's Chile Pepper Institute scares up support from Mrs. Renfro's Ghost Pepper salsa

Ghost Pepper salsa is the newest, hottest and fastest growing product in Mrs. Renfro's 71-year history. And a portion of sales from each jar will help fund a permanent endowment for chile pepper research at New Mexico State University's Chile Pepper Institute....More
Nov. 11, 2011

Article

No shortage of holiday food, but producers are making less

Traditional holiday foods for Texas tables won’t be in short supply this year, but the state’s worst drought on record is driving up some food prices that will make the cost of certain Thanksgiving foods slightly higher than last year, and it is threatening producers who say they fear a continued drought could force many of them out of business....More
Nov. 1, 2011

Article

Texas citrus forecast down, smaller fruit for 2011-2012

A smaller crop with potentially smaller fruit is expected for Texas citrus this year as early harvest gets underway in the Rio Grande Valley...More
Oct. 31, 2011

Article

NMSU researchers dig into weed and worm conspiracy

What can farmers do when two of the world's worst weeds are in cahoots with one of the world's worst roundworm crop pests, reducing yields up to 40 percent in chile peppers and 25 percent in cotton?...More
Oct. 26, 2011

Article

Food safety is a shared responsibility

Recent outbreaks of Listeria in Colorado cantaloupes and salmonella contamination of eggs and lettuce in California and the Midwest are fueling the fires of controversy that have many asking about the safety of U.S. food products....More
Oct. 19, 2011

Article

New scientist tackles complexity of growing zebra chip disease

The complexity of the zebra chip disease of potatoes, a vector-borne disease that is a growing industry concern recently drew Dr. Arash Rashed to the program directed by Dr. Charlie Rush, AgriLife Research plant pathologist....More
Oct. 5, 2011

Article

NMSU researchers examine chile varieties for salt tolerance

The effects of drought are evident in New Mexico, especially in the area of agriculture, but the chile crop will not be left behind if New Mexico State University researchers have any say in the matter....More