WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced the availability of $72.9 million through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) to fund innovative projects designed to support the expanding specialty crop sector and explore new market opportunities for U.S. food and agricultural products. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is accepting applications for the grant program until May …
North Carolina Strawberry Plants Recovering Following Christmas Freeze
By Clint Thompson North Carolina’s strawberry plants incurred some damage during the Christmas freeze event. Fortunately for growers like Austin Wrenn, the consecutive days of sub-freezing temperatures did not happen later in the production season. “We’re lucky that cold front came through in December and not March. We would be in a very different situation if that had happened,” said …
Farmer Testimonial: Local Residents Preventing Housing Structure from Being Built on Farm
By Clint Thompson A small group of people can sometimes boast the loudest voices. For some specialty crop producers, that can impede progress. David Hill, president of Southern Hills Farms in Clermont, Fla., and chairman of the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association, recently testified to the Florida Senate Agriculture Committee on the state’s fruit and vegetable industry. One of his …
Clemson Extension Agents Provide Crop Updates
Weekly Field Update 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 reports, “If you grow strawberries then hopefully the question of the week last week was easy, and that it encourages you to scout your fields! The translucent spheres were two-spotted spider …
Grower Associations Gearing Up for Farm Bill
By Clint Thompson What the future of agriculture looks like could be shaped by how discussions materialize this year in preparation for the 2023 farm bill. The farm bill’s passage will have lasting ramifications for Southeast specialty crop producers who hope to remain sustainable for the foreseeable future. For one specialty crop organization, the bill’s inclusion or exclusion of language …
2022 Census of Agriculture Deadline Fast Approaching
WASHINGTON –The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) reminds specialty crop producers that the deadline to respond to the 2022 Census of Agriculture is Monday, Feb. 6. Producers can respond online at agcounts.usda.gov or by mail. NASS mailed the Census of Agriculture questionnaires last week to every known ag producer in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. The ag census …
South Georgia Farmer Reflects on Vegetable Production Following Christmas Freeze
By Clint Thompson One South Georgia farmer’s decision to stagger his vegetable plantings spared him from losing his entire crop following the Christmas freeze event. “We stagger them all the time to make sure if something happens. We’re on plastic, too, with our greens, so that helped us to bring some of them back faster,” said Bill Brim, co-owner of …
2022 Census of Agriculture due Feb. 6
WASHINGTON –The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) reminds specialty crop producers that the deadline to respond to the 2022 Census of Agriculture is Monday, Feb. 6. Producers can respond online at agcounts.usda.gov or by mail. NASS mailed the Census of Agriculture questionnaires last week to every known ag producer in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. The …
Rain Helping Decrease Drought Levels Across Southeast
By Clint Thompson Heavy rain events in recent weeks have lessened the drought-like conditions being experienced across the Southeast. The timing couldn’t be better with planting season just around the corner. “You want to go into the growing season with good soil moisture,” said Pam Knox, University of Georgia Extension agricultural climatologist. Specialty crop producers are getting their share of …
Target Spot Disease Increasing in South Florida Tomatoes
Target spot disease is increasing in tomatoes in southwest Florida, according to the South Florida Pest and Disease Hotline. The disease has reached moderate to high levels in multiple fields. The disease is also reported to be observed at a high incidence rate in Homestead, Florida. Producers should be wary that target spot is frequently misdiagnosed and can be confused …