Category: Pests & Disease

Reassessing Meatless Monday: A Scientific Perspective on the Role of Meat in Sustainable Diets

by Bridget Stice and Jasi Romero

November 3, 2025

By Bridget Stice, UF/IFAS Extension Polk Meatless Monday campaigns urge the public to skip meat one day a week to "improve health and protect the planet". While reducing excessive consumption of any food can be beneficial, blanket campaigns ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Conservation, Crops, Farm Management, Health & Nutrition, Livestock, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, Turf, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, , Water, Wildlife
Tags: Agriculture, Beef, Bstice, Featured, Livestock, Meat, Polk County, Polk County FL, Polkco, SFBF, Sustainability

Florida Pesticide Licenses: Aquatic

by Luis Rodriguez Rosado
July 10, 2025

Florida is among the most highly regulated states when it comes to pesticide applications, offering 13 different types of pesticide licenses across more than 20 categories. This complex structure can make it challenging for applicators to determine ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Coasts & Marine, Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Water
Tags: Applying Pesticides Correctly, Aquatic License, Aquatic Pesticides, Aquatic Plants, Herbicide, Pesticide License, Pest_control, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Polk County

Licencias de Plaguicidas de Florida: Acuática (“Aquatic”)

by Luis Rodriguez Rosado
July 10, 2025

Florida es uno de los estados con mayor regulación en cuanto a la aplicación de plaguicidas, ofreciendo 13 diferentes tipos de licencias de plaguicidas con más de 20 categorías. Esta compleja estructura puede dificultar que los aplicadores ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Coasts & Marine, Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Water
Tags: Applying Pesticides Correctly, Aquatic License, Aquatic Pesticides, Aquatic Plants, En Espanol, Espanol, Herbicide, Pesticide License, Pest_control, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Polk County

Florida Farm Pest: Wax Moths

by Luis Rodriguez Rosado
June 23, 2025

Florida's beekeeping industry plays a vital role in supporting both local agriculture and national pollination efforts. The state's warm, humid climate and extended beekeeping season (the queen never stops laying eggs) present unique challenges ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Farm Management, Livestock, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Apiculture, Beekeeping, Bees, Florida Farms, Florida_Pests, Honeybees, Pests, Polk_Small_Farms, Small Farms, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Polk County, Wax_moths

Plagas de las Fincas de Florida: Polillas de Cera (“Wax Moths”)

by Luis Rodriguez Rosado
June 23, 2025

La industria apícola de Florida desempeña un papel vital en el apoyo a la agricultura local y a los esfuerzos nacionales de polinización. El clima cálido y húmedo del estado y la prolongada temporada apícola (la reina nunca deja de poner ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Farm Management, Livestock, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Apicultura, Beekeeping, Bees, En Espanol, Espanol, Florida Farms, Florida Pests, Honeybees, Pests, Polilla De Cera, Polk Small Farms, Small Farms, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Polk County

Know Your Beef – The Myths of Meatless Mondays

by Bridget Stice and Jasi Romero

May 12, 2025

Every Monday, some groups urge Americans to skip meat in the name of “helping the planet.” But here’s the truth: U.S. beef production is NOT the environmental problem it’s often made out to be. These campaigns rely on global averages ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Conservation, Crops, Farm Management, Livestock, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, Turf, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, Water, Wildlife
Tags: Agriculture, Beef, Bstice, Featured, Livestock, Polk County, Sustainability

Apicultura en Florida: Comprensión de la Loque Americana y Europea (“Foulbrood”) en las abejas melíferas

by Luis Rodriguez Rosado
April 10, 2025

Las abejas melíferas son esenciales para nuestro sistema agrícola, desempeñando un papel crucial en el proceso de polinización del 85% de nuestros cultivos. Sin embargo, estos insectos laboriosos se enfrentan a diversas amenazas. Entre ellas ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Livestock, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: American Foulbrood, Beekeeping, Bees, En Espanol, Espanol, European Foulbrood, Foulbrood, Honeybees

Beekeeping in Florida: Understanding American and European Foulbrood in Honey Bees

by Luis Rodriguez Rosado
April 10, 2025

Honey bees are essential to our agricultural system, playing a critical role in the pollination process of 85% of our crops. However, these industrious insects face several threats. Among some of these threats are bacterial diseases such as ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Livestock, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: American Foulbrood, Beekeeping, Bees, European Foulbrood, Foulbrood, Honeybees, Pests

Florida Farm Pests: Red Imported Fire Ants (RIFA)

by Luis Rodriguez Rosado and Jonael Bosques

September 30, 2024

They are strong and aggressive. When they attack, they bite and they sting you. These guys invade our homes, and take over our farms and landscapes, and they do this without us even noticing: they are Red Imported Fire ants. What ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Fruits & Vegetables, Invasive Species, Lawn, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Teaching
Tags: Fire Ants, Florida Farms, Florida_Pests, Hardee County, Pests, Pest_control, Polk County, Polksmallfarms, Red_imported_fire_ants, Small Farms, UF/IFAS

Plagas de las Fincas de Florida: Hormigas Rojas de Fuego Importadas (“Red Imported Fire Ants” [RIFA])

by Luis Rodriguez Rosado and Jonael Bosques

September 30, 2024

Son fuertes y agresivas. Cuando atacan, muerden y te pican. Estos individuos invaden nuestros hogares y se apoderan de nuestras granjas y jardines, y lo hacen sin que nos demos cuenta: son las hormigas rojas de fuego importadas. ¿Qué ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Fruits & Vegetables, Invasive Species, Lawn, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Teaching
Tags: En Espanol, Espanol, Florida Farms, Florida Pests, Hardee County, Hormigas De Fuego, Pests, Pest_control, Polk County, Polksmallfarms, Red_imported_fire_ants, Small Farms, UF/IFAS

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