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By Clint Thompson An increased nut drop of one of Georgia’s older and more established pecan varieties will impact volume this year. But growers should know this is a common occurrence with Desirable varieties, says Lenny Wells, University of Georgia Extension pecan specialist. “There was a big drop of Desirables this year. Desirables always have a drop in June. This …
By Clint Thompson The lack of younger pecan growers in Alabama concerns the president of the Alabama Pecan Growers Association (APGA). Bran Futral, APGA president, discussed the current state of the industry with harvest season just a couple of months away. “I think if there was a significant concern, and this worries me the most as I spend my time …
WASHINGTON – Nominations are currently being accepted for farmers and ranchers to serve on local U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) county committees. These committees make important decisions about how federal farm programs are administered locally. All nomination forms for the 2024 election must be postmarked or received in the local FSA office by Aug. 1, 2024. …
Drought is worsening across the Southeast, with most of Alabama, Florida and Georgia experiencing either abnormally dry or moderately dry conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Florida’s worst conditions are located in the northeastern part of the state. They start as far south as Citrus and Marion counties and stretch northward to Nassau, Baker, Columbia, Hamilton, Madison and Jefferson …
By Clint Thompson Sprayer management is an essential part of disease management for grape producers in the Southeast. As costly as fungicides can be, growers must be as efficient as possible with their spray applications, says Sarah Lowder, University of Georgia viticulture Extension specialist. “You can’t get good disease management if you don’t have good spray coverage,” Lowder said. “Where …
By Clint Thompson The farm bill is far from a finished product, but at least the process to finalize an important piece of legislation is underway. The House Agriculture Committee and Senate Agriculture Committee have passed frameworks of the bill. Chris Butts, executive director of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA), discussed the current proposals in both frameworks …
Registration is currently under way for the 50th annual Agricultural Labor Relations Forum, scheduled for Aug. 28-30 at the Wyndham Grand Orlando Resor Bonnet Creek in Orlando, Florida. The Florida Specialty Crop Foundation will present the forum, designed to educate agricultural employers, including growers, shippers, farm labor contractors, and other employers, on compliance with agricultural labor laws and sound relations …
By Clint Thompson Choosing the right hops variety means growers won’t have to be as concerned with root-knot nematode management. Johan Desaeger, assistant professor of entomology and nematology at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, discussed that benefit of hops production which continues to gain traction in Florida. “The hop …
David Hill, chairman of the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association (FFVA), sent a letter to Governor Ron DeSantis in mid-June in support of Senate Bill 1082. Senate Bill 1082 According to the Florida Senate: “Senate Bill 1082 preempts a local government from inhibiting the construction or installation of housing for legally verified agricultural workers on land classified as agricultural if …
The cover story of the July issue of Specialty Crop Grower Magazine puts the spotlight on DiMare Company, one of the largest field-grown tomato producers and packers in the U.S. Tony DiMare, president of DiMare Fresh and DiMare Homestead, recounts the company’s history, which spans 96 years and started with Tony’s grandfather, Anthony, and his two brothers. Deer and feral …
