By Clint Thompson Maybe now more than ever, Georgia pecan growers are in need of hope. University of Georgia (UGA) Cooperative Extension pecan specialist Lenny Wells believes this week’s Georgia Pecan Growers Association (GPGA) Conference and Trade Show provided growers hope amid a challenging time for the industry. “This meeting always occurs just as the buds are breaking or right …
Pollination Period Key for Georgia Blueberry Producers Estimating This Year’s Crop
By Clint Thompson The lingering impacts from Hurricane Helene continue to be felt among Georgia’s specialty crop producers. It’s just a matter of how bad for the state’s blueberry producers who are approaching harvest season. Georgia blueberry grower Johnny Allen estimates that producers should soon know the full extent of the September storm’s impact. “I don’t think we’ll know until …
What to Think About: Disease Concerns for Peach Producers
By Clint Thompson Early season fungicide spray programs are critical for peach producers wanting to navigate certain diseases this time of year. Phil Brannen, University of Georgia (UGA) Cooperative Extension fruit disease specialist, talked about two diseases, in particular, that growers must be wary of. “As we’re moving into the spring, early peach development is very prone to disease. Two …
Specialty Crop Grower Magazine: What to Do About Whiteflies
By Frank Giles and Clint Thompson Whiteflies have grown into one of the top concerns for specialty crop growers in the Southeast. The memories of the 2017 outbreak are still fresh in the minds of many who lost entire crops to the swarming clouds of the pest. According to “The 2017 Georgia Plant Disease Loss Estimates” report compiled by Elizabeth …
Hurricane Helene Aftermath: Pecan Inputs Reduced in Affected Areas For This Season
By Clint Thompson Southeast Georgia pecan orchards were ravaged last year from Hurricane Helene. Growers impacted by the storm need to be wary of what this year’s crop will look like before investing in it. Lenny Wells, University of Georgia Extension pecan specialist, discussed the crop outlook during this winter’s county meetings. “Any time we have a major hurricane come …
Georgia Bill Tracker: HB 223 Sent Back to House
By Clint Thompson Georgia specialty crop producers impacted by Hurricane Helene in 2024 need legislative help to maintain their farming operations. Georgia legislators are doing their part to assist those farmers. The governor’s disaster package, also known as HB 223, passed the Senate last week and went back to the House. The bill would allow disaster payments to be state …
Georgia Tort Reform Bill Passes House
By Clint Thompson An important piece of Georgia legislation that would protect business owners and ease insurance rates passed the House of Representatives this week. SB 68, a bill dealing with tort reform, passed the House and now heads to the Senate. If passed, it is expected to be signed into law by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp. Georgia Agribusiness Council …
Georgia Legislative Update: SB 144 Passes
By Clint Thompson The Georgia State Legislative Session continues in Atlanta, and a bill impacting pesticide labeling cleared its final legislative hurdle last week. Georgia Agribusiness Council (GAC) President Will Bentley spoke with AgNet Media about the passage of SB 144. “Most importantly, SB 144 passed out of the House, which is final passage for that bill dealing with pesticide …
Vidalia Onion Field Day Scheduled for April 3
Georgia’s Vidalia onion producers should mark their calendars for the annual Vidalia Onion Field Day, scheduled for Thursday, April 3 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the University of Georgia (UGA) Vidalia Onion and Vegetable Research Center in Lyons, Georgia. The field day will include a tour of the research plots at the station, followed by a sponsored lunch …
Irrigation Reduction Key for Pecan Producers
By Clint Thompson Modified irrigation recommendations for Southeast pecan producers means growers can produce a viable crop with less water requirements. It is part of a message that Lenny Wells, University of Georgia Extension pecan specialist, is highlighting about cost reduction during this winter’s county meetings. “The water itself for us is not a big expense, but the cost to …