By Clint Thompson Supply chain concerns continue to be an issue for business leaders across the U.S., including specialty crop producers. One industry leader believes a truck driver shortage is not the reason for the problem. Jon Kenneally, chief executive officer for Southern Ag Carriers, discussed the situation during the winter meeting of the Georgia Plant Food Educational Society, Inc. last week …
USDA NASS Conducting Hemp Survey
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service is conducting a hemp survey. It sent out the Hemp Production and Disposition Inquiry to almost 1,600 growers across the Southeast, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. This followed NASS’s 2021 Hemp Acreage and Production survey. Like the 2021 questionnaire, this year’s survey will collect information on the total planted …
USDA to Step Up Organic Rules Enforcement
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Organic Program (NOP) previewed the Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE) final rule. This update to the USDA organic regulations strengthens oversight and enforcement of the production, handling, and sale of organic products. This final rule implements 2018 Farm Bill mandates, responds to industry requests for updates to the USDA organic regulations, and addresses National …
Southeast Strawberry Expo a Chance for Growers to Learn From Each Other
By Clint Thompson Most growers welcome the opportunity to learn from each other. That was never more evident than during the Southeast Strawberry Expo, held Nov. 9–11 in Asheville, North Carolina, and surrounding areas. The annual expo provided an opportunity for the region’s strawberry producers to bounce ideas off each other and gather intel from industry experts about tools to …
UGA Specialist Updates on Phony Peach Disease
By Clint Thompson Phony peach disease in the Southeast has not worsened over time. But it is still bad enough that producers need to be wary of its presence during the production season. Phil Brannen, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension fruit disease specialist, discussed the disease during the recent Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference. “It’s caused by a bacteria, …
Using Artificial Intelligence to Assess Storm Damage
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers are using artificial intelligence (AI) technology to quantify damage to fruits and vegetables caused by extreme weather events, such as Hurricane Ian in 2022. When Ian struck on Sept. 28, it brought winds up to 155 mph and caused as much as $1.56 billion in damage to crops, livestock and …
GFVGA Leader Encourages Farmers During Challenging Era
By Clint Thompson Many factors impact specialty crop production that are beyond a farmer’s control. Weather, input costs, unfair trade; all contribute to a challenging era for producers in the Southeast. Chris Butts, executive vice president of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA), discussed the significance of producers operating at maximum efficiency during the Southeast Regional Fruit and …
Chemistry Rotation Key to Preserving Fungicides in Blueberries
By Clint Thompson Fungicide resistance is a growing concern for Georgia blueberry farmers. Multiple fruit rot pathogens are rapidly developing fungicide resistance, according to Jonathan Oliver, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and small fruits pathologist. He discussed resistance at the Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference. “Fungicide resistance, we’ve now found a lot of our fruit rot pathogens have …
Georgia and North Florida Citrus Endures Second Freeze
Another freeze event last weekend could spell doom for some citrus trees produced in the cold-hardy citrus region. Kim Jones, president of the Cold Hardy Citrus Association, discussed the dire situation facing growers in the region. “I think we had some damage to some new growth that had come out from the last freeze. I can’t tell how much, but we’ve …
Additional Acres Help Georgia Pecan Farmers Produce ‘Good’ Crop
By Clint Thompson The pecan harvest season is mostly in the books for Georgia producers. While market prices did not cooperate for the growers, production was good, according to Lenny Wells, University of Georgia Extension pecan specialist. He said additional acreage coming into production offset some of the missed projections by producers at the beginning of the season. “It wasn’t …