What a difference a year makes for Georgia’s Vidalia onion producers. Last year’s weather conditions consisted of hot temperatures when growers were planting their seedbeds. That’s not been the case this year, however. “It’s been a real quiet year. Everything’s been going very well. This time last year we were dealing with really hot temperatures, some extreme. We think the …
Peach Producers Have New Tools in Fungicide Toolbox
Southeast peach producers have new tools in the fungicide toolbox for the 2021 season. According to the UGA Peach Blog, Cevya, Miravis and Miravis Duo and Chairman are new products that growers need to implement in a way that will allow for efficient and protect against resistance development. University of Georgia Extension fruit disease specialist Phil Brannen said Cevya is …
Smart Irrigation Tools for Blueberry Growers
By Vasileios Liakos One of the goals of the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (UGA CAES) is to develop new irrigation methods and tools for crops. Researchers, including myself, Erick Smith, George Vellidis and Wes Porter, have been developing smart irrigation scheduling tools for blueberry growers in Georgia since 2015. Smart irrigation is a new method …
Georgia Hemp Producers Excel in Staying Within Legal Limits
Hemp harvest is nearing an end in Georgia. According to Tim Coolong, associate professor in the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, the state’s hemp producers appeared to have stayed within the legal parameters of hemp production. What distinguishes hemp from marijuana is the amount of THC or tetrahydrocannabinol present in the plant. It is the main compound in …
Horticulture students cultivate organic crops and an entrepreneurial spirit
By Austin Clark for UGA CAES News Balancing academic coursework with a job is a challenge many University of Georgia students face. But for students in the new Organic Horticulture Entrepreneurship class, their classwork is both academic and economic. This semester is also harvest season for the four horticulture students in the class, who are gaining experience planning, planting and …
Farmer’s Message Regarding Mexican Imports: It’s a Totally Different Playing Field
All South Georgia vegetable farmer Sam Watson wants when competing against Mexican imports is a level playing field. Right now, that does not exist and has the Moultrie, Georgia farmer concerned about the future of the American farmer. “When you look at what we have to do from our cost of production standpoint and you look at our labor costs …
Registration Ongoing for SE Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference
Registration is ongoing for the 2021 Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference, which will be held virtually on Jan. 5 through Jan. 7, 2021. All events this year, including the educational sessions from university researchers and industry leaders, will take place online this year amid COVID-19 concerns. The conference will have the latest in production and crop operational information that …
Bishop, Loeffler Announce USDA Funding for Ag Research
According to Georgia Farm Bureau, Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-Ga. 2nd District) and Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) each announced funding for Georgia agricultural research. On Oct. 16, Bishop, chairman of the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, provided funding for pecan and peanut research in the FY2021 Agriculture Appropriations bill. The bill …
USDA Encourages Ag Producers, Residents to Prepare for Hurricane Zeta
WASHINGTON, Oct. 28, 2020 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is reminding communities, farmers, ranchers and small businesses in the path of Hurricane Zeta that USDA has programs that provide assistance in the wake of disasters. USDA staff in the regional, state and county offices stand ready and are eager to help. “Our neighbors in the Gulf have endured …
UGA Research Grant Aimed at Protecting Consumers from Norovirus
A Center for Produce Safety grant will fund University of Georgia (UGA) research aimed at studying human norovirus and its impact on leafy vegetables, in particular, lettuce. Malak Esseili, an Assistant Professor at the Center for Food Safety on the UGA Griffin campus, is the lead investigator in the project, which spans from Jan. 1, 2021 through Jan. 1, 2023. …