 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced loan interest rates for January 2024, which became effective Tuesday, Jan. 2. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) loans provide important access to capital to help farmers start or expand their farming operation, purchase equipment and storage structures or meet cash flow needs. “I encourage our lenders and borrowers alike to work with our local offices …
Drought-like conditions still persist across areas in the Southeast, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Alabama has the most drought, including extreme conditions in the northwest corner of the state in Colbert and Lauderdale counties; and parts of Franklin, Lawrence and Limestone counties. Extreme drought is also reported in Northeast Alabama in Shelby, Talladega, Saint Clair, Blount, Calhoun, Etowah and …
By Frank Giles Georgia is the third-largest fresh market producer of sweet corn in the United States with about 27,000 acres per season. Sweet corn is also the second-most valuable vegetable crop produced in the state. Consumers love sweet corn, but so do corn earworms (CEW), which have become increasingly problematic. With virtually zero tolerance for CEW in fresh sweet …
Specialty Crop Grower Magazine is a new publication for AgNet Media. It is a product of the merger of Florida Grower and Specialty Crop Industry magazines. The inaugural January issue features the specialty crop tracker, a record of the crop progress based on observations from producers, Extension agents and industry stakeholders throughout the Southeast. The crops highlighted include watermelons, strawberries, …
A veteran blueberry researcher has been named the University of Florida’s Horticulture Crop Breeding Endowed Chair, recognizing the royalties generated by the fruit varieties he’s developed for global farming and consumption. Patricio Muñoz, a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) associate professor of horticultural sciences, was recently awarded the professorship by J. Scott Angle, UF interim …
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson, Senator Jay Collins, and Representative Danny Alvarez announced the filing of legislation last December to support Florida agriculture and Florida’s farmers, ranchers, and growers. Commissioner Wilton Simpson said, “This legislation reflects our continued commitment to supporting and protecting Florida’s farmers, ranchers, and growers, enhancing consumer protection and transparency, and building upon …
Farmers should benefit greatly from digital twin technology, which leverages significant advances in big data, computing power and artificial intelligence to generate virtual representations of the physical world. A digital twin is a virtual model designed to accurately reflect a physical object, process or system. At least two University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) scientists are …
By Clint Thompson Predictions of neutral or La Niña weather conditions from July through September could transition into an active Atlantic tropical season. According to the University of Georgia (UGA) Extension Climate and Agriculture Blog, Pam Knox, UGA Extension agricultural climatologist, said the likelihood of increased storm activity this summer is stronger if the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico …
By Clint Thompson University of Georgia (UGA) research has shown that biochar applications help vegetable farmers improve their soil’s profile. Ted McAvoy, an assistant professor and vegetable production Extension specialist, has studied biochar’s use on the UGA Tifton Campus. He talked about its impact in vegetable production “Biochar is charcoal essentially. Unlike other organic matter from cover crops and chicken …
By Clint Thompson North Florida watermelon growers should be cautious about powdery mildew disease heading into the upcoming season. Its potential resistance to fungicide applications has industry experts like Nick Dufalt wary with the start of the season just a couple of months away. Dufalt, a plant pathologist with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, talked …
