December 2023 - 36

FEATURE
although it's too early to document
the overall effects on specialty crops,
growers and other ag employers have
said it's definitely made finding labor
even more difficult.
Farm Bill: Lost in the
chaos of Congress?
The current farm bill, which implemented numerous
hemp regulations, might be succeeded by one that
includes mentions of " climate change, " as members of
Congress acknowledge significant weather events that
are affecting specialty crops.
As of early November however, Farm Bill expenditures
were still unknown, as the end of September came and
went, followed by the disruption caused by the ouster
of Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the U.S. House of
Representatives.
Upon his approval for the job, new Speaker Mike
Johnson was met with pleas from specialty crop and
other agriculture groups, as well as members of
Congress, to pursue the Farm Bill.
In memoriam
The specialty crop industry lost some notable leaders
in 2023.
Jerry " Dan " Swafford, 71, a Virginia Cooperative
Extension specialist who championed the use of drones
to gather data on crops, died Jan. 4. Swafford, Extension
project associate and curriculum specialist, died at his
home in Christiansburg, Virginia.
a
J
Craig Fox, 62, executive vice president at Fox
Packaging, McAllen, Texas, died Feb. 1. He served the
produce industry for more than four decades in his
family's business.
Peter Goulet, 64, a past chair of the Produce
Marketing Association, a predecessor of the
International Fresh Produce Association, died March
24. He previously was the owner of Pinnacle Sales &
Marketing and director of produce merchandising at
Hannaford Bros. Co.
Bernadine Strik, 60, a leading U.S. berry authority,
died on April 14 in Corvallis, Oregon. Strik was a veteran
Oregon State University professor of horticulture and
Extension berry crop specialist and researcher.
Robert " Bob " Shinn Jr., 85, a former commissioner
of the New Jersey Department of Environmental
Protection who is credited with contributing to the
preservation of New Jersey farmland, died May 5.
Kurt Dramm, 85, a leader in the horticultural
supply industry, died May 16. Dramm co-founded
Manitowoc, Wisconsin-based Dramm Corp., which
supplied water treatment products and horticultural
equipment for the commercial greenhouse and retail
gardening sectors.
Peter Koppert, 73, a pioneer in biological crop
protection and natural pollination, died June 20.
He founded Koppert Biological Systems BV in the
Netherlands, and remained involved as a member of the
company's advisory board.
Pam Durrence Dasher, 79, a third-generation Vidalia
sweet onion grower and co-owner of G&R Farms in
southeast Georgia, died July 24.
Michael Joseph Larose, 40, of BioSafe Systems LLC,
died Sept. 21. He was the eldest of the third generation
of BioSafe's founding family.
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Hybrid Triploid Sugar Baby Rind Watermelon
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IR: Co:1, Fon:1, Px:1.
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Red Garnet
Hybrid Triploid Crimson Rind Watermelon
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IR: Fon:0,1.
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36 | DECEMBER 2023
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78-80 day, 6.7x7.4 " , 8-9 lbs. Extended shelf life (ESL) genetics
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http://www.gowanseed.com
December 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of December 2023
