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By Clint Thompson A group of agricultural organizations, including the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association (FFVA) and Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA), recently sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The letter focused on the current challenges with H-2A consular processing and what can be done to remedy the situation. “The H-2A program remains encumbered …
By Clint Thompson Current drought conditions in Florida are not surprising. After all, the driest part of the season is typically during the months of April and May. But conditions are dire even for this time of year, explains Gene McAvoy, a crop consultant in South Florida. It has been some time since he has experienced drought conditions of this …
By Clint Thompson North Florida watermelon producers should be aware that squash bugs are active around the perimeter of fields. Growers and scouts need to look for individual adults and mating pairs, says Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Regional Specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, Florida. “The squash bug adults overwinter in the …
More than 300,000 CRISPR-edited citrus trees are being planted this year that have shown great potential against citrus greening disease in test groves. CRISPR, which stands for clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats, is a gene-editing technology to help citrus growers produce a crop amid the disease. The Florida citrus industry is eager to see how these trees will respond …
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced the agency is reopening the 2025 crop acreage reporting period required for specialty crop producers who want to apply for the Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers (ASCF) program. Specialty crop producers now have until April 24, 2026, to report 2025 acres to FSA. The ASCF program is designed to help address market disruptions, elevated input costs, persistent inflation, and market losses from foreign competitors engaging …
By Frank Giles Regenerative agriculture has been a buzzword that dates back to the 1980s. It has had flashes of popularity over the years and is enjoying another moment in the spotlight thanks to the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement. In December, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a $700 million Regenerative Pilot Program to help American farmers …
The prolonged drought in the Southeast could negatively impact citrus trees if growers are not applying the right amount and frequency of irrigation. Mary Sutton, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and citrus Extension specialist, shared that message following the April 2 release of the U.S. Drought Monitor map for the Southeast. The map shows exceptional drought conditions worsening and …
By Clint Thompson Strawberry harvests are underway in North Alabama. Most strawberry farmers own a U-pick operation where customers come to the fields and pick their own berries. But growers should be cautious in how they operate their U-pick farms, says Eric Schavey, regional Extension agent in Northeast Alabama. “What I told the young guy that was getting into it, …
By Clint Thompson Georgia’s legislative session was a “solid session for agriculture.” That’s the view shared by Georgia Agribusiness Council (GAC) President Will Bentley following the session’s conclusion last week. “I would score the 2026 legislative session as a solid session for agriculture. We really went in with a goal of holding court and making sure there was no harm …
By Clint Thompson North Florida watermelon producers have mostly dodged early-season diseases. That could change following recent rainfall and cooler temperatures earlier in the week. Growers must remain alert against disease buildup, says Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Regional Specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, Florida. “It has been so dry, and we’ve …
