By Clint Thompson Just when Southeast specialty crop growers thought they had found some certainty with regards to the adverse effect wage rate (AEWR) they were paying within the H-2A program, a federal court ruling has provided more uncertainty. A federal judge has ruled that the Department of Labor’s (DOL) current AEWR methodology is unlawful. Multiple provisions were found to …
Why Be Optimistic About Ag Labor Reform?
By Clint Thompson Ag labor reform is currently a dream that industry experts hope will soon become a reality. Hopefully, it will occur by the end of the year. U.S. Representative GT Thompson (PA-15) has already introduced Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act of 2026,legislation that would improve accessibility and labor costs with the H-2A program. H-2A reform was a focus of …
Georgia Citrus Growers May Be Using Too Much Fertilizer
Fertilizer recommendations for citrus are still a work in progress for University of Georgia (UGA) researchers, including Mary Sutton, UGA assistant professor and citrus Extension specialist. She discussed this topic at the recent Southeast Georgia Citrus Update in Lyons. South Georgia citrus production is still in its early stage. Fertilizer recommendations are needed for the industry’s long-term sustainability. “We’re hoping …
Georgia Ag Commissioner Discusses Sustainability at Issues Summit
By Clint Thompson Georgia Ag Commissioner Tyler Harper is part of the Joint Study Committee on the Generational Sustainability of Family Farms, a group that met last week and discussed issues pertinent to the agricultural industry. He talked about the Ag Issues Summit and what needs to be done to ensure sustainability is not just a dream but a reality …
Coping With Stress: How Producers Can Manage Everyday Worries on Farm
By Clint Thompson Stress can be synonymous with life on the farm. No matter the size of the farming operation, producers can feel the worries every day. It is magnified in the current agricultural era where inputs have skyrocketed and crop prices are not where farmers need them to be. So how should producers counter the stress that’s bound to …
Ag Issues Summit: Georgia Legislative Leaders Meet for Joint Study of Generational Sustainability of Family Farms
By Clint Thompson Members of Georgia’s Senate and House of Representatives met on Thursday for the Joint Ag Issues Summit in Perry, Georgia. The summit also served as the inaugural meeting of the Joint Study Committee on the Generational Sustainability of Family Farms with future meetings scheduled for Rome, Douglas and Athens. Senator Russ Goodman (R-Cogdell), chairman of the Senate …
Fungicide Sprays for Scab Disease Winding Down
By Clint Thompson Pecan harvests will begin soon across the Southeast. With harvest season on the horizon in Georgia and Alabama, growers are also winding down their fungicide sprays for scab disease. Lenny Wells, University of Georgia Extension pecan specialist, talked about what fungicide sprays remain for growers, which largely depends on the variety. “Pawnee, which is of course is …
Harder to Control? Scab Disease Increasing in Pawnee
By Clint Thompson Scab disease may be becoming harder to control on the Pawnee pecan variety. That’s a concern shared by Lenny Wells, University of Georgia (UGA) Extension pecan specialist. Wells noted in the UGA Pecan Blog that his team saw more scab on Pawnee last year than what is observed in Desirables, a notoriously scab susceptible variety. “I had …
Agricultural Awareness: Financial, Environmental Factors Contributing to Farming’s Stress
By Clint Thompson Stress is synonymous with farming these days. Increased costs have amplified those concerns for producers, whether they are in row crop production or are producing fruits and vegetables. Diesel prices are averaging $5.35 per gallon. Fertilizer prices remain high, as are chemical costs. The spike in input expenses are worsened since market prices have not improved for …
Yellow-Legged Hornet’s Ongoing Threat to Honey Bees, Region’s Agricultural Industry
By Clint Thompson The ongoing threat of the yellow-legged hornet (YLH) to honey bee populations in the Southeast should concern the region’s fruit and vegetable producers, says University of Georgia Honey Bee Program Director Jamie Ellis. “Honey bees are incredibly important providers of pollination services. Many of the crops grown in Georgia, for example, blueberries, watermelons, cucumbers, cantaloupes, squashes; are …



















