By Clint Thompson Georgia specialty crop producers impacted by Hurricane Helene in 2024 need legislative help to maintain their farming operations. Georgia legislators are doing their part to assist those farmers. The governor’s disaster package, also known as HB 223, passed the Senate last week and went back to the House. The bill would allow disaster payments to be state …
Georgia Tort Reform Bill Passes House
By Clint Thompson An important piece of Georgia legislation that would protect business owners and ease insurance rates passed the House of Representatives this week. SB 68, a bill dealing with tort reform, passed the House and now heads to the Senate. If passed, it is expected to be signed into law by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp. Georgia Agribusiness Council …
Vidalia Onion Field Day Scheduled for April 3
Georgia’s Vidalia onion producers should mark their calendars for the annual Vidalia Onion Field Day, scheduled for Thursday, April 3 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the University of Georgia (UGA) Vidalia Onion and Vegetable Research Center in Lyons, Georgia. The field day will include a tour of the research plots at the station, followed by a sponsored lunch …
Georgia Legislative Update: SB 144 Passes
By Clint Thompson The Georgia State Legislative Session continues in Atlanta, and a bill impacting pesticide labeling cleared its final legislative hurdle last week. Georgia Agribusiness Council (GAC) President Will Bentley spoke with AgNet Media about the passage of SB 144. “Most importantly, SB 144 passed out of the House, which is final passage for that bill dealing with pesticide …
Irrigation Reduction Key for Pecan Producers
By Clint Thompson Modified irrigation recommendations for Southeast pecan producers means growers can produce a viable crop with less water requirements. It is part of a message that Lenny Wells, University of Georgia Extension pecan specialist, is highlighting about cost reduction during this winter’s county meetings. “The water itself for us is not a big expense, but the cost to …
Georgia Vidalia Onion Farmers: Protect Omega 500F Fungicide
By Clint Thompson Georgia’s Vidalia onion producers need to guard against overusing Omega 500F, an effective fungicide that protects onions from numerous diseases, including downy mildew. University of Georgia Extension Vegetable Plant Pathologist Bhabesh Dutta highlighted the fungicide during a recent Vidalia onion meeting in Lyons, Georgia. “It is good. If we lose Omega, we’re going to be in trouble,” …
Not If Georgia Will Get HLB, But When
Citrus greening disease, also known as huanglongbing (HLB), is not yet widespread in Georgia. However, there’s no reason to think that it won’t become more of a problem for the state’s citrus growers. Lindy Savelle, executive director of the Georgia Citrus Association (GCA), hopes it doesn’t happen but cautions growers about the disease’s potential beyond Florida. “Something we have to …
Ambrosia Beetles Control Important for Southeast Pecan Producers
By Clint Thompson Ambrosia beetle control this time of year is crucial for pecan producers in Georgia and Alabama. Young trees are most susceptible, as are those that are growing under stressed conditions. Apurba Barman, an assistant professor of entomology at the University of Georgia Tifton Campus, is highlighting the insect’s management during the county winter meetings. “We started to …
Necessary Evil: Tariffs Help Protect From Overdependence on Foreign Food Supply
By Clint Thompson The threat and subsequent implementation of tariffs on China, Canada and Mexico by the Trump Administration triggered hard feelings and retaliatory tariffs. But it’s a necessary evil so support can be rallied for American businesses, including specialty crop farmers in Florida and Georgia. Chris Butts, executive vice president of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA), …
Cutting Back: Cost Reductions Required for Pecan Producers
By Clint Thompson The main theme of University of Georgia Extension pecan meetings this winter is informing growers how to cut costs. It may be through variety selection or reducing irrigation and fertilizer inputs. Georgia growers need to reduce expenses if they are going to remain sustainable, says Lenny Wells, University of Georgia Extension pecan specialist. “I think we’ve got …