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By Frank Giles The 2018 farm bill expired in September 2023. Since that time, the old legislation has been extended twice, which is now in effect until September 2025. In the meantime, various spending measures have been added to help tide American agriculture over. But a new farm bill is needed to provide future agricultural policy direction and to help …
(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced this week that producers who suffered eligible crop losses due to natural disasters in 2023 and 2024 can now apply for $16 billion in assistance through the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP). To expedite the implementation of SDRP, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is delivering assistance in two stages. …
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 (Extension Entomologist) Coastal Region Anna Sara Hill Pee Dee Brittney King
By Clint Thompson Persistent rainfall has led to certain diseases being more prevalent in peaches in the Southeast this year. Phil Brannen, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension fruit disease specialist, emphasized that bacterial spot has been most concerning, especially in susceptible varieties. “We’ve had more bacterial spot on varieties that are susceptible to it than we’d like to see,” Brannen …
By Clint Thompson Southeast pecan producers may already be observing nut drop in next season’s crop. University of Georgia (UGA) Extension pecan specialist Lenny Wells noted in the UGA Extension Pecan Blog that nut drop is occurring in multiple varieties. He emphasized that what growers are seeing is a “natural drop.” “It typically begins just before rapid fruit expansion (about …
By Clint Thompson Alabama vegetable growers must be aware that bacterial spot disease has been observed in tomatoes in South Alabama. Ed Sikora, professor and Extension plant pathologist in the department of entomology and plant pathology at Auburn University, discussed the disease and its propensity to becoming widespread. “One (disease) I saw down in the Wiregrass is bacterial spot. It’s …
The passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill into law drew praise from U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins. “The One Big Beautiful Bill marks the start of a new golden age for America and American agriculture. This historic piece of legislation makes permanent the largest tax cuts in history. “It provides immediate tax relief to farmers, ranchers, and …
By Frank Giles In mid-May, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Gulf Coast Research and Education Center hosted a tomato field day to showcase research being conducted at the facility. The event was well attended, filling up several wagon loads of people who made their way through six field stops that focused on nematodes, tomato …
By Clint Thompson One University of Georgia scientist is hoping his beloved canine can help pecan growers sniff out new profits in the form of truffles. Tim Brenneman, a plant pathologist with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, is training “Goldie,” a Lagotto Romagnolo, to sniff out and find truffles hidden in pecan orchards. Truffles are …
Researchers, scientists, and beekeepers have been looking for answers as to what caused the catastrophic honeybee losses earlier this year. Last month, information from new research by the USDA Agricultural Research Service identified the cause behind the devastating losses. The study’s findings point to alarmingly high levels of viral infections caused by Varroa mites with genes that are resistant to a common …
