Specialty Crop Grower Magazine: USDA Attempts Reorganization Again in Second Trump Term

Clint ThompsonUSDA

By Frank Giles This summer, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced plans to reorganize the agency to better serve its constituents. In August, a 30-day public comment period began for stakeholders to comment on the plan that was laid out in a memorandum published in late July and signed by Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins. Relocating and Resizing One …

USDA Issues Second Economic Assistance Payment to Agricultural Producers

Clint ThompsonFlorida

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is issuing a second Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP) payment to eligible producers for the 2024 crop year. Of the authorized $10 billion in ECAP assistance, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) has already provided more than $8 billion in payments to eligible producers to mitigate the impacts of increased input costs and …

USDA Announces $531 Million in Grant Agreement to Cover Ag Losses in Georgia

Clint ThompsonGeorgia

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will provide more than $531 million in Congressionally mandated recovery assistance to Georgia farmers through a block grant agreement with the Georgia Department of Agriculture to help producers recover from Hurricane Helene. “Farmers and ranchers in Georgia have been hit hard and suffered significant economic …

Florida Strawberry Planting Season Under Way

Clint ThompsonFlorida

By Clint Thompson Strawberry planting season is under way across South Florida. Matt Parke, farm manager of Parkesdale Farms in Plant City, Florida, started planting his crop last Thursday. He outlined his list of concerns heading into this production season. “Making sure we’ve got the right (plant) stock, no diseases, make sure those H-words (hurricanes) stay away from us until …

Specialty Crop Grower Magazine: Honey Bee Losses on the Rise

Clint ThompsonFlorida

By Frank Giles In the mid-2000s, honey bee colony collapse disorder began to make global headlines as beekeepers and scientists reported elevated bee losses. While the topic faded away from headlines somewhat in ensuing years, it has remained a problem. “It had settled down as a news story, but it remained a big issue in the honey bee world,” said …

NWA Meeting With Congressional Leaders Highlights Need for Ag Labor Reform

Clint ThompsonFlorida, Labor, Watermelon

By Clint Thompson Ag labor was the focus of discussions in early September when watermelon industry leaders met with Congressional leaders in Washington, D.C. National Watermelon Association (NWA) members, which included Jordan Carter, Greg Leger and George Szczepanski advocated for ag labor reform. Ag labor is the biggest expense for watermelon growers. But the H-2A system is complicated and, more …

Specialty Crop Grower Magazine: Flexible Crop Insurance for Small Farms

Clint ThompsonFlorida

By Frank Giles Many small farms must be diversified across several crops to serve their customers and to tap into different market opportunities over the course of a year. That diversity can present a challenge for growers looking to manage risks. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency (USDA-RMA) has developed an insurance product tailored to those types of …

Clemson Extension Agents Provide Crop Updates

Clint ThompsonSouth Carolina

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. Coastal Region Zack Snipes Midlands Rob Last Sarah Scott Upstate Andy Rollins

Psyllids

Psyllids and HLB Spreading in Georgia

Dan CooperGeorgia, HLB Management, Psyllids

Populations of Asian citrus psyllids (ACP) have been found in residential and commercial citrus in Georgia’s Lowndes and Wayne counties during the past two months. ACP spread huanglongbing (HLB) disease. In several places where ACP were found, HLB-infected trees were identified nearby. University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (UGA CAES) entomologist Apurba Barman provided details about the …