By Clint Thompson Nut set in the Hurricane Helene-damaged pecan areas in East Georgia has been better than expected. Lenny Wells, University of Georgia (UGA) Extension pecan specialist, made the proclamation in the UGA Extension Pecan Blog in an early assessment of this season’s crop. After the hurricane devastated the region, the outlook for the crop was not great heading …
Georgia Watermelon Growers Hope Prices Stabilize
By Clint Thompson Watermelon prices have not cooperated for Southeast growers looking to capitalize on their crop this summer. That’s a disheartening scenario for Georgia producers who are in the middle of their harvest season and will continue to be for a couple of more weeks. Tim Coolong, associate professor in the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental …
Georgia Legislators Discuss HB 143
By Clint Thompson Georgia’s legislative session saw the introduction and passage of HB 143, a bill that places the financial responsibility of installing agricultural irrigation water meters on the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Environmental Protection Division (EPD). Robert Dickey, chairman of the House Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee, discussed the bill’s passage during a recent webinar hosted by the …
Georgia Watermelon Harvests Starting This Week
By Clint Thompson Georgia’s watermelon harvests are expected to pick up this week amid an unfortunate market decline for the region’s watermelon growers. Ty Torrance, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension vegetable agent for Colquitt, Tift and Worth counties, discussed the status of the watermelon crop in his region. He believes the lack of rain in some areas impacted the crops, …
Insect Update in Georgia Vegetables
By Clint Thompson Spring vegetable season is in full swing in South Georgia. Vegetable farmers are managing pests and diseases that are challenging this year’s crops. Stormy Sparks, University of Georgia (UGA) Cooperative Extension vegetable entomologist, highlighted pests that have been a challenge this year for producers, including one in particular. “I think thrips have been a problem this spring. …
Georgia Ag Commissioner Touts ‘Great’ Time of Year for Fruits, Vegetables
By Clint Thompson Spring vegetable crops are in the ground. Fruits like peaches and blueberries are being harvested or about to be, as are Vidalia onions. It’s a great time of year for Georgia’s specialty crop industry, explains Georgia Ag Commissioner Tyler Harper. He touted Georgia Grown during the UGA Grand Farm groundbreaking ceremony in Perry, Georgia. “When you get …
Drought Monitor Update: Heavy Rains Alleviate Dry Conditions in Georgia, Alabama
Recent rainfall has provided much-needed moisture for parts of the Southeast, and it is reflected in the May 15 release of the U.S. Drought Monitor. Georgia mostly has sufficient moisture except for a couple of areas that have abnormally dry conditions. One area includes Colquitt, Grady, Thomas, Brooks, Lowndes, Echols, Clinch, Lanier, Atkinson and Ware counties in South Georgia; as …
Georgia Strawberry Production Perseveres Despite Neopestalotiopsis
By Clint Thompson Neopestalotiopsis disease has been problematic in some Georgia strawberry farms this year. Drew Echols, owner of Jaemor Farms in Alto, Georgia, was not immune to the disease’s impact in North Georgia. However, he has a better outlook on this year’s crop compared to earlier in the season. “I’ve got too many gaps in the field. But the …
Dry Weather Preferred for Georgia Watermelon Producers
By Clint Thompson South Georgia’s dry weather conditions are not a bad thing for the region’s watermelon production. In fact, it is what specialty crop producers prefer. They want to be the ones applying the water, says Ty Torrance, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension vegetable agent for Colquitt, Tift and Worth counties. “As far as vegetables go for sure, we’d …
Westward Bound: Georgia Citrus Association Learns New Varieties in Trip to California
By Clint Thompson and Nick Papagni The Georgia Citrus Association’s trip to California last week allowed the state’s industry leaders to look for opportunities to advance citrus in the cold-hardy citrus region. One of the focuses was learning about the different varieties produced in California that could have a potential future in the Southeast. Lindy Savelle, executive director of the …