Clemson Extension agents provide crop updates in The South Carolina Grower this week about the status of various crops being produced throughout the state. Coastal Region Rob Last reports, “Some welcome rainfall last week will help establish cucumbers and watermelon. Cucumber beetles are present in a large number of fields at present. While this is the first flux of the …
Starting in Strawberries? Input Expenses Costly but Reward is Potentially Great
By Clint Thompson Strawberries have the potential to be a lucrative commodity for interested specialty crop producers. But they can also be extremely expensive to grow. Farmers need to understand the investment before diving head first into the industry next season, says Jessie Rowan, Alabama regional Extension agent, who specializes in commercial horticulture and farm and agribusiness management. “To me, …
FBI Warns Farm Businesses to Beware
By Frank Giles The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has issued an alert warning farm businesses to wary of ransomware attacks. The alert specifically warned agricultural cooperative businesses during critical parts of the season like planting and harvest. The alert noted: “The FBI noted ransomware attacks during these seasons against six grain cooperatives during the fall 2021 harvest and …
Growing Matters: Following Label Directions is the First Part of Protecting Pollinators
Label directions serve as one of the most important points in keeping pollinators safe and healthy when making an application of crop protection materials. The 2022 BeSure campaign from the Growing Matters Coalition highlights the importance of protecting pollinators in agricultural systems, by using best management practices. Industry Affairs Lead at Bayer Crop Science, Dr. Frank Wong said that the …
Sweet Corn Production: Yields Up, Market Down
By Clint Thompson John L. Hundley, veteran farmer and newest member of the Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame, produced a quick response when asked how sweet corn production has treated growers this year. “Production’s going good, the marketing isn’t,” Hundley said. “That’s the summary. Nothing else I can tell you other than that.” That’s all growers and consumers need to …
#EveryBiteCounts: New Marketing Campaign Highlights Domestically Grown Produce
By Clint Thompson The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association’s new consumer-focused social media marketing campaign, #EveryBiteCounts, continues the organization’s effort to educate consumers about the importance of supporting local farmers. With the hashtag #EveryBiteCounts, the goal is to educate consumers about the impact of purchasing in-season domestically grown fruits and vegetables, says Chris Butts, executive vice president of the …
North Florida Watching for Powdery Mildew
By Clint Thompson North Florida watermelon farmers and industry leaders have yet to see a widespread attack of any one disease, such as powdery mildew. But they are paying close attention to the plants that are in the ground. Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) regional specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, Florida, is …
Field Day Leads to Reboot of Old Citrus Varieties
By Peter Chaires The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) field day on Dec. 3 at the A.H. Whitmore Foundation Farm was a productive and memorable day. The event was well attended and provided growers, nurserymen and industry leaders with an overview of essential research taking place at the farm. The fruit display and tour drew attention to …
Water Farms Provide Multiple Benefits in Florida
By Frank Giles More than a decade ago, Doug Bournique, executive director of the Indian River Citrus League, had a thought. What if citrus growers who had groves that had become non-productive could take that land and use it for water storage to help reduce discharges into sensitive waterways like the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers? It was a novel …
Supply-Chain Disruptions, Inflation and War Are Pushing Prices up on the Farm
By Frank Giles Just when the world took somewhat of a collective breath, hoping the COVID-19 pandemic might be easing, Russia invaded Ukraine. The conflict and the highest inflation rate in 40 years in the United States have focused attention on agriculture and food security. For farmers in Florida and around the world, the confluence of events has presented challenges …