RALEIGH – Has your farm family got what it takes to be one of the 11 families recognized at the N.C. State Fair as its Farm Family of the Day? If you are proud to be a North Carolina farmer, work hard to contribute to the state’s No. 1 industry and love farming and the N.C. State Fair, you could …
Broadband Access: USDA Invests $167 Million in 12 States
Georgia Included in States Impacted WASHINGTON, Aug. 11, 2021 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $167 million in 12 states to deploy broadband infrastructure (PDF, 360 KB) in rural areas without sufficient access to high-speed internet. Georgia is one of the states that will benefit from this investment. “Generations …
Pollinator Protection While Using Organic Insecticides
Organic Corner By Ayanava Majumdar, Dani Carroll and Olivia Fuller As the summer temperatures soar, insect activity in vegetable crops rises dramatically with several overlapping generations of pests feeding on crops. During this time, need-based insecticide applications may be necessary when other pest management measures like trap crops and exclusion systems are exhausted or unfeasible. Tremendous strides have been made …
Tropical System Could Impact Florida Vegetable Production
By Clint Thompson Vegetable and specialty crop producers are bracing for a potential tropical storm this weekend as Tropical Storm Fred churns towards the Gulf of Mexico. As University of Florida/IFAS Associate Professor in Horticultural Science Josh Freeman says, “ It’s part of doing business,” in Florida this time of year. “I think depending on where the track goes, it’s …
Weed Identification: Identify Pests with New Tool From UF/IFAS
Proper weed identification is key in eradicating it from the landscape or a field. University of Florida/IFAS has developed a set of resources for homeowners and vegetable growers to follow to avoid misidentification. “If you don’t take the time to identify the weed first, often times you may treat it incorrectly,” said Chris Marble, associate professor of environmental horticulture at …
Bed Formation Key to Vegetable Producers’ Management System
By Clint Thompson A key to vegetable producers’ success this fall starts before they even plant their crops. Forming the perfect bed in vegetable crop systems helps growers facilitate the movement of fumigants to control nematodes and weeds, as well the movement of water and fertilizer through the drip system. University of Georgia Cooperative Extension weed scientist Stanley Culpepper stresses …
UF/IFAS’ Night in the Tropics on Nov. 6
HOMESTEAD, Fla. – The University of Florida/IFAS Tropical Research and Education Center will host One Night in the Tropics on Nov. 6. The event will take place amid tropical fruit-filled orchards and ornamental plants that grace the grounds of the campus in Homestead. Silent auctions and live music will set the stage from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. for an …
Rainy Impact: Georgia Hemp Feeling Effects of Summer Weather
By Clint Thompson Like all other Georgia crops, hemp is being impacted by the excessive rains this summer, according to producer Harris Morgan with Pretoria Fields in Albany, Georgia. “The way to look at all this is you can survive a drought, but water will kill you. Water will flat get you,” Morgan said. “You’ve got so many things that …
Hemp Alert: Alabama Growers Watch out for Corn Earworms
By Clint Thompson Alabama hemp producers need to be wary of high insect pressure across the region. Katelyn Kesheimer, Auburn University Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, said growers especially need to watch out for corn earworms. “The biggest thing that people need to be aware of that we’re dealing with right now is corn earworm. We started finding them in …
Conditions Ripe for Leaf Scorching in Pecans
Two types of leaf scorching are impacting Georgia pecan trees during these hot summer days. According to the University of Georgia Extension pecan blog, young trees are suffering leaf scorching related to heat stress. While there are various components that cause leaf scorch, the main problem is that a factor is affecting the root or vascular system. Lateral roots and …