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Negotiations continue between the United States and Mexico in relation to the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) and Mexico’s Secretariat of Economy held the second round of bilateral negotiations related to the Joint Review of the USMCA on June 15-17, 2026, in Washington, D.C. USTR Jamieson Greer and Mexican Secretary of Economy Marcelo Ebrard also met to discuss …
By Frank Giles The COVID-19 pandemic illustrated the fragile nature of global supply chains as the movement of many goods was disrupted and delayed for months after shutdowns related to the virus. The conflict in Iran has been a reminder of that vulnerability as oil and fertilizer movement has been disrupted, sending prices higher and feeding uncertainty into the marketplace. …
The next harvest season may still be months away for Florida citrus growers, but management remains a weekly duty. That involves a plethora of chores for grove owners this summer, says Matt Smith, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension agent for Lake and Orange counties. “Growers definitely need to keep irrigation in mind. And of course, …
By Clint Thompson North Alabama is one of the few areas in the Southeast not suffering through drought conditions anymore. But the increased rainfall in recent weeks has caused concern for the region’s pumpkin growers looking to plant this year’s crop. Eric Schavey, regional Extension agent in Northeast Alabama, talked about the challenge facing his area’s pumpkin farmers. “We could …
By Clint Thompson The pecan nut casebearer (PNC) has had minimal impact on pecan trees in the Southeast. That’s good news for farmers hoping to make a strong crop this season. Apurba Barman, University of Georgia (UGA) Extension pecan entomologist, said the observation about PNC was based off a survey conducted in counties throughout Georgia. “We just finished some survey …
WASHINGTON — The legislative text for Farm Bill 2.0 by U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Chairman John Boozman drew praise from agricultural organizations across the U.S. That includes the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance (SCFBA). Kam Quarles, CEO of the National Potato Council and co-chair of the SCFBA, discussed the Senate version which followed the House passage of …
Microjet irrigation is the top method of freeze protection for citrus trees, but its effectiveness is only realized if growers perform proper maintenance of the sprinklers before a cold event occurs. Mary Sutton, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and citrus Extension specialist, emphasized that fact during the Georgia-Florida Irrigation Expo on June 10. Sutton said growers should treat their …
By Clint Thompson Like in most areas in the Southeast, Central Alabama’s peach crop was impacted by freezing temperatures in mid-March. It wiped out early peach varieties, according to David Lawrence, regional Extension agent in central Alabama. That has changed since, however. “We didn’t have a great early season or early crop. A lot of our mid-season varieties are coming. …
By Clint Thompson Weather conditions are ripe for scab disease to flourish in pecan orchards across Georgia and Alabama. That’s not surprising but still disappointing for pecan producers in both states who are trying to produce a crop this year. But it’s the reality, especially after last week’s spike in rainfall attributed to Tropical Storm Arthur. It brought increased moisture …
By Clint Thompson The University of Georgia’s New Grape Growers Symposium educated potential producers about all facets of growing grapes in the Southeast. Topics ranged from variety selection, establishing a vineyard, managing pests and diseases and developing sustainable vineyard practices. Disease management remains one of the most limiting factors of grape production in Georgia and Alabama, says Sarah Lowder, University …
