By Allison Fortner for CAES News Hemp is a promising new industry for profitability, but growers of this newly legal crop will face a mix of public opinions according to University of Georgia research into challenges those in the hemp business may face in the southeastern United States. A recently published article in the Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics …
Georgia Department of Agriculture to Host Produce Safety Alliance Training
The Georgia Department of Agriculture will host the Georgia Virtual Produce Safety Alliance Training on Jan. 26 and Jan. 27 from 8 a.m. to noon. The two-day workshop covers the standardized curriculum designed by the Produce Safety Alliance, which meets the regulatory requirements of the Produce Safety Rule under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). Individuals who participate in this …
Whitefly Management: Sanitation Key Especially for Watermelon Producers
Stormy Sparks’ message regarding whitefly management remains the same: If you’re done with the crop, get rid of that crop. Sanitation remains the best defense against whitefly buildup in Southeast vegetable and cotton crops. Even watermelon producers, who don’t have to contend with whiteflies as much as cantaloupe and cucumber farmers, are encouraged to do their part in preventing potential …
Export Markets Remain Key for Southeast Pecan Producers
With the 2020 pecan season in the books, growers in the Southeast are looking to write a new chapter in 2021, one they hope will have a better ending. The story of this past season’s crop centered on devastatingly low prices and low morale among farmers still trying to recover from Hurricane Michael in 2018. The biggest question remains, what …
COVID Forces Farmers to Consider Alternate Marketing Opportunities
COVID-19 altered the marketing plans of Southeast vegetable and specialty crop producers in 2020. Restaurants closed, which crippled certain sectors of the fruit and vegetable industry. Farmers must continue to adjust as a new season approaches while the pandemic continues. Jessie Boswell, Alabama Regional Extension agent, who specializes in commercial horticulture and farm and agribusiness management, believes the pandemic’s …
Georgia Vegetable Growers to Vote to Continue Assessment
Georgia vegetable growers will vote Feb. 1 through March 2, 2021 to determine the continuation of the Georgia Vegetable Commission marketing order which allows assessment of one cent per marketing unit of vegetables as described in the current marketing order. The marketing order applies to growers with 50 acres or more of total annual production of the following crops – …
Georgia Blueberry Producer: In the World I Live in, It’s a Problem
Foreign imports of blueberries do not complement the U.S. domestic crop. Farmers and industry leaders in the Southeast sounded insulted about the notion that imports do not actually compete with their crop. They were asked about it during Tuesday’s virtual hearing with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC). “I find the comment that imports don’t affect us, it’s confusing to …
Weed Management a Key Factor in Vegetable Production
Weed management remains a vital strategy all vegetable producers need to implement in order to have a successful season. University of Georgia Cooperative Extension weed scientist Stanley Culpepper implores farmers to stay vigilant in keeping weeds out of their fields. “What you want to do is you want to remove weeds from the field because they compete with the crop. …
What Next in ITC Blueberry Investigation?
The long-awaited hearing with the International Trade Commission (ITC) for blueberry farmers has come and gone. The case against blueberry imports from foreign competitors has been made. Now what happens? Bob Redding, who works for the Redding Firm and serves as a lobbyist for agricultural groups in Washington, D.C., outlines the potential outcomes that will occur following Tuesday’s hearing. It …
Blueberry Producers Have Their Say
Blueberry growers and industry leaders in the Southeast had their say on Tuesday about unfair trade practices regarding imports from foreign countries, including Mexico. They testified during a virtual hearing with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) regarding a global safeguard investigation into fresh, chilled or frozen blueberries. Jerome Crosby, Georgia blueberry grower and chairman of the American Blueberry Growers …