Farmer Following Two Hurricanes: It’s A Lot to Take

Clint ThompsonFlorida, Georgia

By Clint Thompson One major hurricane is enough to devastate a farming operation. How about two in less than a two-week span? It’s enough to rattle any specialty crop producer. L&M Family Farms has farming operations throughout Florida and one in Georgia. It was hit hard by Hurricane Helene when it moved through North Florida and South Georgia on Sept. …

Hurricane Helene Impact: Mental Health a Top Priority for Georgia Farmers

Clint ThompsonGeorgia

By Clint Thompson Hurricane Helene’s financial impact on Georgia farmers is staggering. The storm’s effect on the producers’ psyches is just as devastating. At a time when specialty crop growers are still assessing damages and calculating losses following the storm’s trek through Georgia on Sept. 26 and 27, producers are called to keep tabs on the mental well being of …

Let Me Explain: Rising Imports Led Georgia Farm to Abandon Blueberry Crop

Clint ThompsonGeorgia

By Clint Thompson Sen. Jon Ossoff’s visit to J.E.T. Farms in Camilla, Georgia, on Friday allowed Karla Thompson to show her senator the impact that imports left on her company’s blueberry crop. The impact was staggering; 13.5 acres of product not harvested this past season because it was not financially feasible to do so. “Today was really important for us …

Pecan Trees Need Irrigation for Shuck Split

Clint ThompsonGeorgia, Pecan

By Clint Thompson The lingering dry period following Hurricane Helene is impacting pecan production across the Southeast. Lenny Wells, University of Georgia Extension pecan specialist, noted in the UGA Extension Pecan Blog that trees need sufficient soil moisture so shuck split can happen properly. “The crop load that was there is going to create a significant demand for water. Most …

Leveling the Playing Field: Ossoff, Bishop Offer Protecting Our Produce Act

Clint ThompsonGeorgia

By Clint Thompson The Protecting Our Produce Act will help Southeast specialty crop producers impacted by imports from South America. That’s the message shared by Sen. Jon Ossoff and Congressman Sanford D. Bishop Jr. (GA-02) with Georgia growers on Friday in Camilla, Georgia. Each will introduce the bill in the Senate and the House. The bicameral bill would establish a …

Georgia Vidalia Onion Farmer: Great Volume Last Season

Clint ThompsonGeorgia

By Clint Thompson Georgia’s Vidalia onion industry is currently strong for the state’s farmers. For one farming operation, it just shipped what remained of last year’s crop. That explains why Steven Shuman, GM/VP of sales at G&R Farms in Glennville, Georgia, was all smiles when he discussed the state of the industry at last week’s Global Produce and Floral Show …

Helene Aftermath: Georgia’s Financial Impact Likely to Increase

Clint ThompsonGeorgia

By Clint Thompson Hurricane Helene’s financial devastation to Georgia’s agricultural sector is already staggering. Unfortunately, those numbers will likely increase, especially to specialty crops, says Chris Butts, executive director of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA). “What we’re looking at now is the immediate crop losses to the fall crop, but we’re just as concerned with problems that …

Georgia Blueberry Producer Expects 40% of Crop in 2025

Clint ThompsonBlueberries, Georgia

By Clint Thompson Georgia’s blueberry industry suffered a $52 million impact following Hurricane Helene. An additional $150 million impact could also be realized with future quality losses. Preliminary estimates for the economic impact of Hurricane Helene topped $6 billion, according to totals released last week by the University of Georgia (UGA) College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES). Russ Goodman, …

Hurricane Helene, Milton Took Different Paths to Southeast

Clint ThompsonAlabama, Florida, Georgia

By Clint Thompson First Helene, then Milton. Mother Nature’s 1-2 punch of hurricanes took different paths in impacting the Southeast this fall. Instead of making their way across the Atlantic, those two major hurricanes originated in the western Caribbean. It did not take long for them to hit the Gulf of Mexico and impact southeastern states; Helene in North Florida, …

Blueberry Disease Management Recommendations After Hurricane Helene

Clint ThompsonBlueberries, Georgia

Hurricane Helene left devastation in its wake following its trek through Georgia on Sept. 27. One of the main crops impacted were blueberries. Jonathan Oliver, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and small fruits pathologist, noted in the UGA Blueberry Extension Blog that blueberry disease management should be a focus of blueberry producers moving forward. “In areas that got a …