According to the Alabama Extension Commercial Horticulture Facebook page, insect pressure has increased significantly over the past two months. This was reported in 20 locations across Alabama, where moth counts from pheromone traps were collected. For example, the beet armyworm moth numbers were 823 as of Aug. 15, a 1.2X increase from the 682 reported on July 31. Host plants …
Recent Rains Beneficial for Pecan Crop
Recent rainfall is a sight for sore eyes for pecan farmers on the verge of harvesting this year’s crop, according to University of Georgia Extension pecan specialist Lenny Wells. “We’ve had years where August and September we didn’t get a drop of rain. Even with the best irrigation the percent kernel didn’t fill out as good as you would expect,” …
Peak Time for Insect Pressure
Heat and dry weather conditions make this a peak time for insect pressure. Ayanava Majumdar, an Auburn Extension Professor in Entomology and Plant Pathology, cautions fall vegetable growers about insect pests and to scout regularly. “Insects love the heat because they grow through their life cycle faster because of the extra heat. They grow faster. They mate and reproduce faster …
Alabama Farm Credit Partners with Sweet Grown Alabama
MONTGOMERY, Ala.— Sweet Grown Alabama, the state’s agricultural branding program, is pleased to welcome Alabama Farm Credit as a founding member of the non-profit organization. “Alabama Farm Credit is proud to be a founding member of Sweet Grown Alabama. We believe that the strength of agriculture in our state is dependent on finding every way possible to maximize the value …
Fall Vegetable Crops Susceptible to Whiteflies
Unless more rain in the upcoming weeks can knock back populations, whiteflies are a huge concern for fall vegetable growers, according to Stormy Sparks, University of Georgia (UGA) Extension vegetable entomologist. “Right now, it’s looking pretty bad. It could be devastating. The populations are really high, and we’re just now getting started,” Sparks said. “I’ve got squash where the adult …
USDA Announces More Eligible Commodities for CFAP
Application Deadline Extended to Sept. 11 (Washington, D.C., Aug. 11, 2020) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced today that additional commodities are covered by the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) in response to public comments and data. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is extending the deadline to apply for the program to Sept. 11, and producers …
Alabama Extension Offices Serving as Drop-Off Points for Mystery Seed Packages
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Alabama Cooperative Extension System is partnering with the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI) to assist in collecting unsolicited seed packages being sent to Alabama residents from China. The packages often indicate that they contain jewelry rather than seeds. ADAI field inspectors are currently collecting these seed packages to test their contents for unknown compounds, …
Bringing Technology to Specialty Crops
United States Department of Agriculture Posted by Greg Astill, Markets and Trade Economics Division, Economic Research Service and Suzanne Thornsbury, Senior Advisor for Agricultural Economics and Rural Communities, Office of the Chief Scientist in Research and Science Advances in technology, automation, and remote sensing is a cross-cutting, macro movement in science impacting agriculture outlined in the USDA Science Blueprint (PDF, …
New Pesticides Approved for Use on Alabama Hemp
By Katelyn Kesheimer, Alabama Extension According to an Alabama Extension blog, new pesticides have been approved for use on hemp production in Alabama. The Alabama Cooperative Extension Service worked with the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI) to release an approved pesticide list for use on hemp in Alabama. Several more products have been recently approved for legal application …
Cowpea Curculio Troubling for Alabama Producers
A tiny insect continues to take a bite out of the southern pea crop in Alabama. Ayanava Majumdar, an Auburn Extension Professor in Entomology and Plant Pathology, believes insecticide resistance is a huge issue in why farmers in Alabama and Georgia cannot get a handle on cowpea curculio. “I think many people just don’t believe that resistance is an issue …