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RALEIGH – The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services soil testing lab is about to hit its busy season. Growers and homeowners are encouraged to submit soil samples by Nov. 26 to avoid peak-season fees and to get results and recommendations sooner. Peak-season fees will be waived for the western counties impacted by Hurricane Helene. “Accurate lime and …
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff pressed both political parties on Wednesday on the urgency of passing agricultural disaster assistance for Georgia before the end of the year. Ossoff testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations on the urgent need to support Georgia agriculture after the devastating impacts of Hurricane Helene. “The numbers are staggering, but this isn’t about …
By Clint Thompson The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA) is eager to work with the President-Elect Donald Trump and his administration. Though this will mark Trump’s second term as president, his administration will look much differently. Chris Butts, executive director of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, discussed his organization’s mindset when working with newly appointed leaders …
ATLANTA, GA — The Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) has received confirmation from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) that the first detection of Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula or SLF) was made in Fulton County, Georgia on Oct. 22, 2024, and confirmed by USDA APHIS on Nov. 14, 2024. The first confirmed detection of the Spotted Lanternfly was made in Pennsylvania …
Imagine a future where nursery growers can effortlessly manage their plants with cutting-edge automation technologies, using potting or weed-spraying robots, instead of having to dig each hole or spray each pot by hand. With the help of a $9.8 million grant from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), this vision is becoming a reality. UF/IFAS will use …
WASHINGTON – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced on Tuesday the creation of new programs that will help farmers who grow fruits, vegetables and nuts overcome market barriers for their products, and help producers access necessary pre-market storage for their crops following severe weather events, including recent hurricanes. The new Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops initiative will provide $2 billion to …
House Committee on Agriculture Chairman GT Thompson was part of a recent bipartisan tour of hurricane damage sustained in Florida and Georgia. He released the following statement: “Traveling to the Southeast, I was able to see firsthand the devastating impact of the recent hurricanes. Hurricanes Milton and Helene hit our agricultural sector especially hard, highlighting the urgent need for disaster …
Florida strawberry growers are a resilient bunch. They’ve survived the back-to-back punches from hurricanes Helene and Milton. Through hard work and efficient problem-solving, they have planted the fruits you’ll enjoy from December through April. Kenneth Parker, executive director of the Florida Strawberry Growers Association, works regularly with University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) breeders, Extension agents …
By Clint Thompson The serious threat of Neopestalotiopsis disease in strawberry plants this fall means growers need to be aware of the management options at their disposal. Natalia Peres, professor of plant pathology at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, discussed the available options for producers who risked this …
By Clint Thompson Lingering drought conditions in Alabama are impacting fruit crops in central Alabama. David Lawrence, regional Extension agent, said the prolonged dry spell and warm temperatures are impacting his growers’ peach trees and strawberry plants. “Where I am peaches and strawberries are the main thing. Peaches have already set their buds. They set those in the late summer. …
