Registration is ongoing for the Lake Wheeler Turfgrass Field Day, scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 10, at the Lake Wheeler Turfgrass Research Lab in Raleigh, North Carolina. The annual field day offers attendees an opportunity to view the N.C. State University Turfgrass Program’s research trials while interacting with faculty and staff. The topics for this year’s field day include cultural practices, …
Tomato Season: Prepare for Bacterial Spot
By Clint Thompson Tomato season may have just ended in North Florida, but the fall crop will soon be planted. Josh Freeman, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) associate professor in horticultural science, estimates planting will begin around July 20-23. But growers should be mindful of one disease that could threaten the fall crop, especially amid …
Critical Time to Protect Against Scab Disease
By Clint Thompson It is a critical part of the production season for Southeast pecan growers. Producers should be diligent in their fungicide sprays against scab disease. Lenny Wells, University of Georgia Extension pecan specialist, stresses why this is an important time for farmers in protecting this year’s crop. “It’s a super critical time because those nuts are growing so …
Bacterial Spot a Concern for Fall Tomato Crop
By Clint Thompson Tomato season may have just ended in North Florida, but the fall crop will soon be planted. Josh Freeman, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) associate professor in horticultural science, estimates planting will begin around July 20-23. But growers should be mindful of one disease that could threaten the fall crop, especially amid …
Rainfall Helps Alleviate Some Drought Across Southeast
Recent rainfall across the Southeast was just what the doctor ordered to help alleviate some of the region’s dry conditions. It has helped do so in Alabama, Florida and Georgia, though parts of the region remain either abnormally dry or moderately dry, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Georgia remains the state with the worst dry conditions. Much of the …
Insect Activity Increasing Across Alabama
Insect activity has increased across Alabama, according to Alabama Extension. Traps record pest populations across the state over a two-week period. Specialty crop producers should be wary of beet armyworms and southern armyworms. Beet armyworms have increased 32% compared to a 75% increase for fall armyworms. According to the pest monitoring report, there were 99 beet armyworms on July 1, …
Recent Rains Helping North Georgia Peach Crop
By Clint Thompson What were hot and dry weather conditions have turned into sporadic periods of rainfall in North Georgia. That has been positive news for the state’s peach crop, says Drew Echols, owner of Jaemor Farms in Alto, Georgia, and president of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association. “You catch an inch of rain on some peaches that …
Input Expenses Still a Concern for South Florida Growers Ahead of Fall Crop
By Clint Thompson It is a time to relax, reflect and look ahead to the fall crop if you are a vegetable farmer in South Florida. “Everybody’s pretty much on vacation in the vegetable world,” said Gene McAvoy, associate director for stakeholder relations at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Southwest Florida Research and Education Center. …
Alabama Hemp Production: Eye-Opening Experience for Producers This Year
By Clint Thompson Hot temperatures combined with a prolonged drought created less-than-ideal conditions for Alabama hemp production this year. Katelyn Kesheimer, Auburn University assistant professor and Extension specialist, said it has been an eye-opening experience for growers. “What’s definitely been eye-opening for producers is how much time and energy goes into getting a successful plant; not even a crop, just …
Between a Rock and a Hard Place
A changing landscape in agriculture calls for policy reform. By Zhengfei Guan and Kuan-Ming Huang The United States has been the largest agricultural exporter in the world and has had surplus in agricultural trade for decades. In 2019, however, the United States saw a deficit (-$1.3 billion) for the first time in over half a century since data were available. …