Keeping abreast of social media at the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Division of Plant Industry
Keeping it simple
Lest we forget: It’s good to stress basics. We drew “likes” when we posted a link to the DPI section of the FreshFromFlorida website this week, inviting folks to learn about our mission and the invasive pests that threaten Florida agriculture.
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Save the Guac: It’s a worthy cause
Our friends at the Florida Farm Bureau Federation posted a promotional poster touting Florida avocados, so naturally we shared it and reminded folks of our “Save the Guac” campaign. The public can help save the guac by not moving firewood when traveling or camping. Invasive pests move with firewood. We are smack in the middle of Florida avocado season and highly recommend the fruits, which are greener, larger — and, we think, tastier — than those produced elsewhere. The FDACS website has an abundance of recipes using Florida avocados.
Slate gave a shoutout to “Don’t Pack a Pest”
The online publication Slate published a nice piece this week answering the question, “On the U.S. Customs Form, Most People Check ‘No.’ What Happens if you check ‘Yes’?” The answer is usually that Customs and Border Protection agents will ask you some questions, perhaps inspect your luggage and seize materials that cannot be brought into the U.S. We reminded our followers that travelers can discover what is and is not allowed in baggage entering the US at www.DontPackaPest.com and BTW, This video explains what #DontPackaPest is about: Protecting agriculture from pests.
GALS go to Dadeland Mall
Miami area residents shopping for back-to-school items at the Dadeland Mall were greeted with signs reminding them that we’re still working to eradicate the giant African land snails from South Florida. We’re encouraging mall-goers to scan the QR codes on the signs to learn about these dangerous invasive pests that threaten crops, landscapes, human and animal health and even buildings. The GALS program is moving into its fifth year, having begun when the snails were discovered in Miami-Dade in August 2011.
Scientists make progress on greening
A grapefruit displays symptoms of citrus greening
A front-page article in the Thursday edition of the Gainesville Sun discusses some of the research aimed at finding new citrus rootstocks that at least show tolerance for, if not immunity to, citrus greening. The Florida Citrus Rootstock Selection Guide is now online in a format that lets visitors interact with the guide.
Greening major issue for discussion at Citrus Expo
Citrus Greening and new rootstocks were hot topics this week at Citrus Expo at the Lee Civic Center in North Fort Myers. Josh Magill filled us in with a report from Southeast AgNet. Since it first appeared in Homestead and Florida City crops a decade ago, citrus greening has cost growers in the juice business $7.8 billion since 2006, according to a 2015 report by UF economist Alan Hodges.
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Filed under: Diary Tagged: Adam Putnam, agriculture, citrus, environment, eradication, FDACS-DPI, Fruit, GALS, giant african land snail, greening, guacamole, invasive species, laurel wilt, Miami-Dade County Florida, pests, redbay ambrosia beetle, Save the Guac
