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By Clint Thompson An Alabama citrus grower credits the surging population in Baldwin County for his success at marketing his satsuma crop. In retirement, Craig Goolsby has established a small but effective citrus operation. He has approximately 360 mature trees and planted another 150 last year. Goolsby is hoping to continue a strategy that’s focused largely on local marketing. Goolsby …
By Clint Thompson When Hurricane Debby made landfall in Florida earlier this week, it dumped excessive amounts of rainfall. One strawberry producer experienced the torrential downpours in Plant City, Florida. Matt Parke, farm manager of Parkesdale Farms in Plant City, Florida, highlighted how devastating the rains were on Monday and the impact he’s experiencing as he readies for the upcoming …
Florida specialty crop producers impacted by Hurricane Debby are asked to complete a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Economic Impact Analysis Program survey on agricultural losses and damages. UF/IFAS will use the survey in its on-going research to track effects of severe weather on the state’s agricultural industry. Participants will be asked to assess their …
By Clint Thompson U.S. Rep. Austin Scott (R-Ga.) expressed frustration at the Southern Peanut Growers Conference in July. Much of that was centered at the lack of momentum in getting a farm bill finalized and the wishes of some to steer more funding away from production agriculture. “We’re used to in America walking in a gas station or a grocery …
By Clint Thompson Pyrethroid resistance in corn earworm is a major concern for sweet corn producers across the Southeast. Stormy Sparks, University of Georgia (UGA) Cooperative Extension vegetable entomologist, said other insecticides are more costly and have to be applied more regularly in sweet corn. It could lead to a decrease in acres across the Southeast. “It doesn’t take a …
By Clint Thompson For some specialty crop producers, production is no longer confined to a specific season. If growers are to achieve financial success and stay sustainable for the foreseeable future, they need programs like the Value-Addition Institute for Business Expansion (VIBE) to help extend their farming operations to include new products via process development. The University of Georgia (UGA) …
By Clint Thompson The most recent release of the U.S. Drought Monitor paints a dry picture for specialty crop producers in Georgia, especially in the central and northern regions of the state, where abnormally and moderately dry conditions are prevalent. That’s beneficial for fruit and vegetable growers who are preparing for their fall crops and are challenged by increased disease …
By Clint Thompson Georgia blueberries are feeling the impact of Tropical Storm Debby this week. The storm, which was classified as a Category 1 Hurricane when it made landfall along Florida’s Big Bend coast, has drenched excessive amounts of water on blueberry bushes in the southeast part of the state. It has left Russ Goodman, co-owner of Cogdell Berry Farm …
By Clint Thompson Florida tomato plants will soon be in the ground for the 2024-25 season. For some producers, like University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) tomato breeder Jessica Chitwood-Brown, that means plants go in the ground this week. Commercial growers in central and southern Florida will start planting towards the end of the month. Chitwood-Brown …
Dry weather the last two seasons has challenged Christmas tree production in Alabama. Jeremy Pickens, Alabama assistant Extension professor in horticulture at Auburn University, believes more producers will start implementing irrigation systems in the future as a result. “Most farms don’t have irrigation set up. There’s a few that do. I think we’ll probably see more of it in the …
