Details of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) were announced this week. It’s a program that will provide up to $16 billion in direct payments to deliver relief to America’s farmers and ranchers impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. In addition to this direct support, USDA’s Farmers to Families Food Box program is partnering with regional and local distributors to purchase …
USDA Announces Details of Direct Assistance to Farmers Through CFAP
Farmers and Ranchers to Receive Direct Support for Losses Related to COVID-19 Contact: USDA PressEmail: press@oc.usda.gov (Washington, D.C., May 19, 2020) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced details of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP), which will provide up to $16 billion in direct payments to deliver relief to America’s farmers and ranchers impacted by the coronavirus …
Light Scab Disease Reported in Pecan Orchards
By Clint Thompson It is only May, but University of Georgia Extension pecan specialist Lenny Wells is optimistic about this year’s crop. “It looks great right now as far as crop load and the light disease pressure. Everything’s pretty clean. Everything looks great so far,” Wells said. “I just hope we can get them to harvest. We’ve got a long …
Ag Commissioner Gary Black Announces Georgia Grown To-Go Program
As part of the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s (GDA) “Buy Georgia Grown, Now More Than Ever” campaign, Georgia Grown is partnering with local governments to connect produce farmers directly to consumers in highly populated areas. Georgia Grown To-Go is a series of pop-up markets, primarily in metro Atlanta, that will give customers an opportunity to purchase fresh produce directly from farmers with …
Grape Producers Need To Tissue Sample Their Crop
By Clint Thompson The time is now for grape producers to tissue sample their crop, says Phil Brannen, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension fruit disease specialist. In doing so, growers can make any modifications to impact this year’s crop. “If you go ahead and get the sample now, you can do something about it. You can actually impact this year’s …
More Questions Than Answers With Respect to CFAP
By Clint Thompson The Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) has brought more questions than answers with respect to financial aid for growers in response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The $19 billion program includes $16 billion in direct payments for farmers and ranchers. CFAP has payment restrictions of $125,000 per commodity and a total of $250,000 per applicant for all …
Produce Market Ripening With Success for Some Vegetables
By Clint Thompson The produce market is ripening with success for some commodities. Prices are incredibly high for some vegetables, while others are still struggling to compete with imports from Mexico, says Tift County farmer Bill Brim. The co-owner of Lewis Taylor Farms said watermelons, round tomatoes and cabbage are three commodities really doing well for farmers right now. “I …
Georgia Pecan Growers Voting on One-Cent Assessment
By Clint Thompson Georgia pecan growers are voting this month to renew a one-cent per pound assessment on pecans for the Georgia Agriculture Commodity Commission for Pecans. According to Andy Harrison, commodity commissions manager for the Georgia Department of Agriculture, ballots have been sent to Georgia growers of 30 acres or more. They will vote on the assessment, which is …
Three Joy Peaches Released
ARS News Service BYRON, GEORGIA, May 14, 2020 — The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) has released a trio of Joy peaches — Rich Joy, Liberty Joy and Crimson Joy — to enhance the southeastern fresh peach market. Rich Joy is named for its fruit’s rich flavor and as a way to honor ARS peach breeder William Richardson Okie, who retired …
Watermelon Farmer Hopes to Capitalize on High Prices
By Clint Thompson Watermelons are in short supply and high demand right now. Alabama produce farmer Art Sessions hopes to capitalize when his crop becomes ready the first week in June. “We’ve been getting watermelons out of Florida and they are scarce. Everything coming out of Florida is really tight on account of this virus deal,” said Sessions, who also …