CEDAR KEY, Fla. — After weathering two of the worst hurricane seasons on record, Cedar Key is still one of the nation’s top clam producers. Starting from ground zero in 1993, the small village on Florida’s Gulf Coast – also known as “Clamalot” for its ideal growing conditions – rapidly became the No.1 producer of cultured hard clams in the nation.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Though E. coli bacteria are notorious for making people sick, a University of Florida study shows that a gene found in the microbes can keep plants healthy by improving their resistance to heat stress – a discovery that may help researchers develop food crops that withstand harsh climates and global warming.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — While some agricultural producers are facing tough times, Florida alligator farmers are cashing in on reptile chic – the growing worldwide demand for alligator skins on everything from belts and boots to $10,000 designer handbags.
LAKELAND, Fla. — Citrus canker and greening will reduce the volume of fruit produced in Florida over the next 15 years, and the state may never return to the level of fruit harvested in 2003 before hurricanes spread canker around the state, according to a new University of Florida report.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Welcome to the bug-of-the-month club. Thanks to Florida’s balmy climate and popularity as a tourist destination, at least one new and unwanted insect pest hitchhikes its way into the state every month, according to University of Florida researchers.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — They may not be able to make love last, but a team of University of Florida researchers has figured out how to at least make the flowers go the distance.
HAGUE, Fla. — As the nation looks to agriculture for renewable fuels from crops and other sources, University of Florida researchers have developed a manure management system that produces energy, saves valuable nutrients for fertilizer, cuts greenhouse gas emissions and stops offensive odors.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The fight to eradicate citrus canker from Florida ended last week when federal officials announced they’d stop funding removal of exposed trees, but researchers with the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences are confident that in time the disease can be managed to ensure the future viability of the $9.1 billion Florida citrus industry.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Canker topped the list of worries for the Florida citrus industry until citrus greening – described as the world’s most serious citrus disease – was found in groves last year.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Demand for land by developers, investors and speculators pushed the value of agricultural land to record levels in all regions of the state during the past year, according to a new University of Florida survey.