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By Clint Thompson Additional work is required for the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA) and other specialty crop groups who want the Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act to become permanent. The recently released legislation, introduced by U.S. Representative GT Thompson, would bring much-needed reform to the H-2A system. But more week is needed to make the first reform to …
By Clint Thompson Most of Alabama’s peach farmers felt the sting of an early spring freeze event. It wiped out much of the state’s early varieties, including some on Mike Reeves’ farm in Hartselle, Alabama. “We got hurt by the freeze on our early varieties and our late varieties but most of our mid-season varieties are in pretty good shape,” …
By Clint Thompson The July 9 release of the U.S. Drought Monitor shows minor change to the drought conditions being observed across the Southeast. Florida The driest area in Florida remains in the northern area of the state. Extreme drought is still being experienced in the area, starting as far west as Franklin and Wakulla counties, stretching eastward to Duval, …
By Clint Thompson Sweet Grown Alabama’s next big event will involve specialty crop growers and industry leaders from across the state. The organization’s sixth annual Farm to Table dinner is slated for Thursday, Aug. 13 at Lazenby Farms in Auburn, Alabama. Aisling Walding, Assistant Director of Sweet Grown Alabama, discussed the event, which will be held from 6:30 p.m. to …
Early bird registration for Florida’s 52nd annual Agricultural Labor Relations Forum ends Wednesday, July 15. This year’s forum, presented by the Florida Specialty Crop Foundation, is scheduled for Aug. 12-14 in Orlando, Florida. The labor forum is designed to educate agricultural employers, producers, shippers, contractors and other employers on compliance with labor laws and relations practices. Highlights of this year’s …
By Frank Giles Many people involved in specialty crop production in the Southeast know the name Gene McAvoy. He was inducted into the Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame in 2024 for his 25-year career serving University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension and for many other roles in agriculture. He operates an active ag consulting service today. …
By Clint Thompson The final email sent to North Florida watermelon producers by Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Regional Specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, Florida, recapped this season in the Suwannee Valley. Hochmuth once again stressed the significance of fusarium wilt and nutsedge and their impacts on watermelon production in the region. …
ATLANTA, GA — The Georgia Department of Agriculture Law Enforcement Division is warning Georgia’s agricultural community to be vigilant after receiving multiple reports of sophisticated online scams targeting farmers searching for farm equipment. Investigators have identified fraudulent schemes in which scammers create highly convincing websites and online advertisements that appear to represent legitimate farm equipment dealerships. In many cases, the dealerships …
By Clint Thompson The July 4 holiday has come and gone, which means Georgia’s watermelon season is nearing its conclusion. The summer holiday provides a key harvesting window for Georgia producers. This year was no different. Some of the crop is still being picked this week, says Tim Coolong, professor and Extension specialist in the University of Georgia College of …
By Clint Thompson Bacterial spot is currently affecting peach orchards across the Southeast region. But it may not be the only disease to impact the trees during the final few weeks of this season. According to Phil Brannen, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension fruit disease specialist, anthracnose disease could become problematic on untreated trees, if the rainy conditions continue across …
