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Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Alabama”
By Clint Thompson What a difference a year makes for Alabama peach producer Jackson Reeves. Last year’s crop was decimated by two spring freeze events. “Last year we didn’t have our early peaches and we didn’t have our late peaches. We still had some of our peaches right in the middle of July, but we didn’t have a full crop,” …
By Clint Thompson Two straight seasons of spring freeze events has one Alabama blueberry farmer ready to modify how he manages his blueberry crop. Jimmy Ferguson said this year’s late-season freeze impacted between 30% and 40% of his rabbiteye crop and about 20% of his highbush. That followed the freeze in 2023 that completely wiped out his 25-acre farm. “We’ve …
By Clint Thompson The lack of a farm bill is concerning for Alabama fruit and vegetable farmers. But at the forefront of their minds is the current labor situation, specifically the Adverse Effect Wage Rate, tied to the H-2A program. Blake Thaxton, executive director of the Alabama Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (AFVGA), talked about the challenges his producers are …
By Clint Thompson Count Alabama as another state that should rebound with a bumper peach crop this year. After a Georgia industry leader confirmed his expectation of a bountiful crop to AgNet Media, Edgar Vinson, assistant research professor and Extension specialist in the Department of Horticulture at Auburn University, expressed optimism regarding this year’s peaches in Alabama. “We’re seeing pretty …
By Clint Thompson Alabama’s strawberry crop has progressed this year with minimal disease impact. Yes, diseases have been present in some fields, but their severity has been lessened this year. Ed Sikora, professor and Extension plant pathologist in the department of entomology and plant pathology at Auburn University, believes the lack of consistent rains have made certain diseases less impactful …
By Clint Thompson What was due at the end of last September is still not in place as the calendar hits mid-April. Who knows when a new farm bill will be in place? Blake Thaxton does not. The executive director of the Alabama Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association expressed his frustration about the piece of legislation that was scheduled to …
AUBURN, Ala. – The number of farms in the U.S. operated by women has increased 27% in recent years. Yet, despite their growing number and influence, little is known about the needs of women in farming, the challenges they face and their economic impact on agriculture. A team of agricultural economists from the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station was awarded $650,000 …
By Clint Thompson Weather conditions over the past month have challenged Alabama fruit and vegetable farmers. Excessive rain delayed growers from being able to get in the fields. Neil Kelly, Alabama regional Extension agent in Southeast Alabama, highlighted that challenge his producers have faced in recent weeks. “The biggest thing is just getting fields ready; getting ready to plant. We’ve …
By Clint Thompson Sufficient chill hours have Alabama peach trees where they need to be during bloom season. One Extension agent believes they will help the trees survive any potential freeze event. “We got a little bit better chill this year. There were some varieties that I think would have made it through the freeze last year, but they just …
By Clint Thompson Alabama strawberries are progressing well, according to one industry expert. Edgar Vinson, assistant research professor and Extension specialist in the Department of Horticulture at Auburn University, liked how his state’s strawberry crop has progressed and believes plant timing is a big reason why. “What I’ve seen, it’s pretty hopeful, pretty positive. Plants have got really good size …
