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By Clint Thompson It is never too early to start thinking about and planning for next year’s Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo, especially after the success of this year’s event. Southeast farmers and industry leaders can go ahead and mark their calendars for next year’s Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo, scheduled for Aug. 4-5, 2027. Citrus and specialty crop growers, …
By Clint Thompson Ag labor reform is currently a dream that industry experts hope will soon become a reality. Hopefully, it will occur by the end of the year. U.S. Representative GT Thompson (PA-15) has already introduced Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act of 2026,legislation that would improve accessibility and labor costs with the H-2A program. H-2A reform was a focus of …
Clemson Extension agents provide updates in The South Carolina Grower this week about the status of various crops being produced throughout the state. Statewide Tom Bilbo, Extension Entomologist Vegetable growers — be aware that the EPA is seeking public comments on an issue regarding the use of neonicotinoid insecticides (e.g., Admire, Assail, Belay, Actor, Venom) on food crops. Clemson/University of …
Fertilizer recommendations for citrus are still a work in progress for University of Georgia (UGA) researchers, including Mary Sutton, UGA assistant professor and citrus Extension specialist. She discussed this topic at the recent Southeast Georgia Citrus Update in Lyons. South Georgia citrus production is still in its early stage. Fertilizer recommendations are needed for the industry’s long-term sustainability. “We’re hoping …
By Clint Thompson Cover crops remain an integral part of nematode management in Florida. But they should be part of specialty crop growers’ management strategies every year, according to Johan Desaeger, assistant professor of entomology and nematology at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Gulf Coast Research and Education Center. Desaeger provided an update about …
By Clint Thompson Georgia Ag Commissioner Tyler Harper is part of the Joint Study Committee on the Generational Sustainability of Family Farms, a group that met last week and discussed issues pertinent to the agricultural industry. He talked about the Ag Issues Summit and what needs to be done to ensure sustainability is not just a dream but a reality …
By Clint Thompson A lack of farm bill progression in the Senate Agriculture Committee has not derailed the optimism industry leaders feel that one will eventually get passed this year. That’s the mindset shared by Kam Quarles, CEO of the National Potato Council and co-chair of the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance (SCFBA). “You’ve got to be optimistic that folks …
By Clint Thompson Effective nematicides were a focal point of a presentation on nematodes at the recent Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo event in Fort Myers, Florida. 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, updated growers and industry leaders about what chemical …
By Clint Thompson Alabama fruit and vegetable farmers and industry leaders can mark their calendars for next year’s Alabama Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (AFVGA) annual conference and trade show, scheduled for Feb. 3-5, 2027, in Gulf Shores, Alabama. AFVGA Executive Director Blake Thaxton discussed the event, slated for The Lodge at Gulf State Park. “It’s become the home for …
By Clint Thompson Stress can be synonymous with life on the farm. No matter the size of the farming operation, producers can feel the worries every day. It is magnified in the current agricultural era where inputs have skyrocketed and crop prices are not where farmers need them to be. So how should producers counter the stress that’s bound to …
