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 …
New Thrips Species a Wait and See Approach for Georgia Producers
By Clint Thompson A new thrips species is wreaking havoc on pepper plants in Florida. Its impact in Georgia remains an unknown. Stormy Sparks, University of Georgia (UGA) Extension vegetable specialist, discussed Thrips (T.) parvispinus during the Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference in January “It’s going to be a wait and see. It’s like Thrips palmi when it showed …
WOTUS Is Back
By Frank Giles The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced the latest attempt to define the waters of the United States (WOTUS) under the Clean Water Act. The final rule was announced on Dec. 30. The latest WOTUS definition is the third attempt that started with President Obama in 2015. President Trump replaced that …
Florida Strawberry Grower: Sitting on Heavy Fruit Load, But It’s Green
By Clint Thompson Strawberry harvest season continues across South Florida. If the temperatures will increase and the weather stays consistently warm, the current harvests will increase in quantity, believes producer Matt Parke. “We are sitting on a heavy fruit load, but it’s green. It’s been so cool over here we haven’t come on to that February push yet,” Parke, farm …