According to Alabama Extension, the demand for organic crop production has experienced an upward trajectory in recent years. This increasing demand means there is a need for more farmers to produce organic vegetables at a reasonable cost, while also being environmentally sustainable. For these producers, insect pest management is one of the aspects where they must watch their costs and …
USDA Encourages Ag Producers, Residents to Prepare for Hurricane Zeta
WASHINGTON, Oct. 28, 2020 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is reminding communities, farmers, ranchers and small businesses in the path of Hurricane Zeta that USDA has programs that provide assistance in the wake of disasters. USDA staff in the regional, state and county offices stand ready and are eager to help. “Our neighbors in the Gulf have endured …
Zeta Set to Move Through Region This Week
Zeta, a tropical system and an expected hurricane once it reaches the U.S. by Wednesday, is churning in the Gulf of Mexico and is expected to move across the Southeast later this week. According to the UGA Extension Viticulture Blog, Pam Knox, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Agricultural Climatologist, said there will be some rain and gusty winds from that …
Agricultural Acres Down Significantly Over Last 100 Years
Agricultural acres have dropped dramatically over the last 100 years throughout the Southeast. According to stacker.com, Georgia and Alabama were two of the top four states to see their farm land decrease the most. Based on numbers from the United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service, Alabama, ranked No. 4 in decreased acres, had 256,099 farms in 1920 …
2021 Alabama Hemp Grower Applications Now Available
By Katie Nichols AUBURN UNIVERSITY, Ala.— Alabama hemp grower applications and processor/handler applications are available for the 2021 growing season through Nov. 30. Applications can be found on the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI) website. Applications Full applications, including supporting documents, must be complete before the Nov. 30 deadline to receive approval consideration. Seasoned and new growers alike must …
Alabama Extension Economist Tries to Clear Up Misconception about Hemp
A misconception between hemp and marijuana has Adam Rabinowitz concerned about how consumers view an up-and-coming agricultural commodity in the Southeast. Rabinowitz worked as an Extension economist at the University of Georgia before he moved to Alabama this summer to become an Auburn University Assistant Professor and Extension economist. At UGA, Rabinowitz helped conduct a survey to gauge consumer knowledge …
Harvesting and Storing Pecans This Fall
Posted by: Victoria Dee AUBURN UNIVERSITY, Ala. – According to Alabama Extension, as leaves begin to darken and pumpkins decorate every doorstep, pecans are ripe and ready for harvest as fall settles in in the Southeast. These nutritious nuts are members of the hickory family and grow on towering shade trees commonly found in yards, orchards and pastures throughout Alabama. …
Alabama Hemp Growers Dealing With Low Quality Crop
Hemp harvest is under way in Alabama, but quality may not be what farmers had hoped for in their second year of production. It’s understandable, though, considering the challenges that producers dealt with during the growing season, says Katelyn Kesheimer, Auburn University Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist. “It’s not fantastic. I wouldn’t say there’s a lot of good quality hemp …
Extension Economist Doesn’t Expect Hemp Acres to Increase in Southeast in 2021
With hemp harvest beginning across the Southeast, predictions are already being made about what next year’s crop might look like. One Extension economist believes there will not be an acreage increase in 2021. Auburn University Assistant Professor and Extension economist Adam Rabinowitz does not expect acres in the Southeast to increase until the market shows significant recovery. “I don’t think …
Cold Outbreak at End of October Could End Growing Season in Northern Alabama, Georgia
According to Pam Knox, University of Georgia agricultural climatologist, in her UGA Extension blog, the forecasts are starting to show a strong cold front passing through the Southeast at the end of October. This will usher in a period of much colder air which could include frost across northern Alabama and Georgia as well as western parts of the Carolinas …