Annual renewal for the Georgia Agriculture Tax Exemption (GATE) program is open. Eligible farmers can renew their GATE card for 2021 online by visiting https://forms.agr.georgia.gov/GATE/. GATE cardholders who are to renew in 2021 will automatically be placed on the new three-year renewal program and will receive their renewal invoice in 2024. All current cards will expire Dec. 31, 2020. Cardholders …
December 2020 Final Outlook Shows No Strong Trend
According to the UGA Extension Climate and Agriculture blog, the NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center released the latest 30-day climate outlook on Monday. It shows that there is no strong trend towards warmer or colder conditions in December except in southern Florida. Early December will be colder than normal. It is still expected to be warmer than normal in late December. …
Slug Management in Blueberries
Ash Sial, Associate Professor in the University of Georgia in the Department of Entomology, is receiving reports of slug infestations in Georgia blueberries. According to the UGA IPM blog, slugs generally lay between 3 and 40 small transparent eggs at one time. Each slug can lay up to 400 per year. The slugs can contaminate the harvested fruit once harvest …
Pecan Prices Stay Low
It is getting late in the pecan harvest season. Prices remain low for farmers across the Southeast. According to the USDA Pecan Report, some producers are storing pecans they would normally export in hopes of getting a better price after the new year. Farmers and homeowners who are trying to sell now are still encountering decreased prices. “Export and retail …
Diamondback Moths a Problem for Cole Crop Producers
Diamondback moths are starting to show up in some vegetable fields across Georgia, says Stormy Sparks, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension vegetable entomologist. Cole crops producers need to be wary of this pest, as it can pose a threat to cabbage, collards, kale and broccoli. “Diamondback moth is starting to show up in some areas. We’ve had three or four …
Stanley Culpepper: A leading voice for growers
By Clint Thompson When University of Georgia (UGA) Cooperative Extension weed agronomist Stanley Culpepper speaks, Tift County grower Bill Brim listens. After more than two decades of Culpepper providing expertise regarding more than 20 different vegetable crops, there’s no reason for Brim not to pay attention. “He’s a great young man. He’s a hard worker and tries to get things …
Neopestalotiopsis Disease Confirmed on Georgia Strawberry Plants
Georgia strawberry producers need to be wary of Neopestalotiopsis; a disease that has already devastated Florida production and could have wide-ranging impact on Georgia’s crop if farmers are not proactive. Phil Brannen, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Fruit Disease Specialist, cautions farmers that while the disease has been found in just one Georgia location and only as leaf spotting, there …
New H-2A Wage Rule a Win for Farmers
Vegetable and specialty crop producers who utilize the H-2A program will not have to stress over wage increases for the 2021 and 2022 growing seasons. This is incredibly helpful for farmers in Georgia and Florida – avid users of the program – who will navigate a growing season amid rising expense costs, another potential COVID-19 shutdown and trade that is …
Uncertainties for 2021 Growing Season
While 2020 is nearly in the books, farmers are looking ahead to 2021 with the same outlook of uncertainty they had this year following the coronavirus outbreak in March. There’s uncertainty regarding COVID-19 and a risk of not knowing if there will be another nationwide shutdown that could lead to more market disruptions like the ones that impacted Florida farmer …
CDC Guidelines, Precautions Should Guide Holiday Celebrations
By Maria M. Lameiras for CAES News As the holiday season arrives, the traditional images of loved ones crowded around a dinner table groaning under the weight of the holiday feast may look a little different this year: The recent surge in COVID-19 cases has prompted rising fears that holiday gatherings may accelerate the spread of the virus. The Centers for Disease Control …