By Clint Thompson The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is offering a new academic program that will enhance students’ knowledge of fertilizer applications and enable them to apply fertilizers more efficiently to their specialty crops. The program is called the UF/IFAS Fertilizer Science and Technology Graduate Certificate. The formal certificate will be available starting in …
Farm Protests Spreading Across the Globe
By Frank Giles Environmental green movements have gained worldwide traction in recent years as governments take action to combat climate change. The quest for net-zero carbon emissions and other environmental concerns has led some countries to place restrictions on agriculture. Those restrictions, on paper, might appear good for the climate, but are not always good for food production. This has …
Rubio: Bill to Reduce OJ Brix Blocked
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida on Aug. 4 said Senate Democrats blocked a bill Rubio introduced that would have resulted in lowering the Brix level of not-from-concentrate orange juice (NFC OJ). That bill would have directed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to take the Brix-lowering action. Rubio had introduced the Defending Domestic Orange Juice Production Act (S. 4394), …
Fumigants and Their Effectiveness in Weed Control
By Clint Thompson Fumigation is an integral part of a specialty crop producers’ weed management strategy. According to Nathan Boyd, University of Florida (UF) associate center director and professor of horticulture/weed science at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, growers can achieve higher levels of success when they have a comprehensive understand of how fumigants function. “Fumigants do play …
AFBF’s Concern Over Provision in Farm Workforce Modernization Act
By Clint Thompson Time is ticking for the U.S. Senate to approve and pass its version of the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, a bill aimed at improving workforce access for farmers and that has already been passed twice by the House of Representatives. One provision in the legislation to expand the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act (MSPA) to …
N.C. Counties Eligible for Crop Loss Program Following Tropical Storm Fred, April ’21 freeze
RALEIGH – Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler announced that farmers in 11 additional counties are eligible for the Western North Carolina (N.C.) Agricultural Crop Loss Program for damages and losses due to flooding and excessive rain from Tropical Storm Fred and an April 2021 freeze and frost. The deadline to apply is Aug. 31. A total of $10 million is available. …
Aftermath of Freeze on Georgia Blueberries
By Clint Thompson The aftermath of last spring’s freezing temperatures on Georgia’s blueberry crop was devastating. Crops were lost. Revenue that was counted on was never realized. Estimates were that more than 54 million pounds were lost as a result of the March 12-13 freeze event. The crop loss affected more than just growers themselves. Chris Butts, executive vice president …
Anthracnose Identified on Lima Bean in the Pee Dee Region of South Carolina
Anthracnose disease has been reported on lima bean in the Pee Dee region of South Carolina, according to The South Carolina Grower. Persistent rainfall in the area helped spread the disease throughout the field. The lima bean anthracnose fungus, Colletotrichum truncatum, produces typical Colletotrichum spores in round gooey masses with black hairs. This gives the spore masses a black color. …
U.S. Drought Monitor: North Alabama Still Dry
The lingering drought affecting the Southeast is becoming less of an issue in Georgia, though conditions remain dry in northern Alabama, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. All of northern Alabama is either abnormally dry, moderately dry or even severely dry in a few counties. The worst conditions are observed in the northwest corner of the state in Colbert and …
August Make-or-Break Month for Pecans
By Clint Thompson August is the make-or-break month for pecan growers yearning to produce a crop this year and next season as well. Lenny Wells, University of Georgia (UGA) Extension pecan specialist, discussed in Tuesday’s UGA Extension Pecan Blog various factors producers should consider. Irrigation applications should be at 100% by mid-August, which equates to between 3,600 and 4,000 gallons …