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By Clint Thompson Georgia’s pecan season has come to a close. Between devastation from Hurricane Helene and market prices that did not reflect diminished supply this year, morale is low for growers, says Lenny Wells, University of Georgia Extension pecan specialist. “It was just disappointing all the way around,” Wells said. “It wasn’t the worst year we’ve had, by far. …
In November, the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) announced confirmation from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) of the first detection in the state of spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula). The pest is an invasive planthopper that poses a serious risk to Georgia agriculture. Where is it? The spotted lanternfly was found in Fulton County, Georgia, in October and sent to …
By Clint Thompson The long-awaited farm bill is more than a year past due. Its next version may be on the horizon, however. At least that’s the hope shared by legislative leaders, says Bob Redding, who works for the Redding Firm and serves as a lobbyist for ag groups in Washington, D.C. He discussed the ongoing negotiations with the important …
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance (SCFBA) issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s updates to the Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC) initiative, which included an additional $650 million investment. “Specialty crop growers across the U.S. are facing severe and unique challenges. As we wrote in December, the USDA’s MASC program …
By Clint Thompson The annual Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference is just days away in Savannah, Georgia. While regular registration ends Tuesday, Jan. 7, on-site registration will still be available from Jan. 9-11. The yearly conference caters to fruit and vegetable production in Florida, Georgia, Alabama and the Carolinas. The production seminars, scheduled for Thursday, Friday and Saturday, will …
RALEIGH – Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler announced the second round of awards from the North Carolina Agricultural Manufacturing and Processing Initiative (NCAMPI). These $6.6 million in awards focus on the expansion of current operations to use more North Carolina farm products and reduce costs and burdens for North Carolina farmers and growers. These six projects benefit peanut, rice, barley, and …
By Mike Joyner Shortly after President Barack Obama was inaugurated in 2009, he met with the Republican leadership. When Republicans began to aggressively push back on his policies, he simply stated, “Elections have consequences … and I won.” President-elect Donald Trump won the election, and we expect there will be swift and aggressive change. The newly appointed members of Trump’s …
Drought conditions continue to vary among states in the Southeast. Most of central and northern Alabama is experiencing dry conditions, while Florida is mostly dry. Georgia’s dry conditions continue to dissipate with most of the drought being observed in the southwest and southeast areas of the state. This is according to the most recent release of the U.S. Drought Monitor. …
By Clint Thompson Three hurricanes – Debby, Helene and Milton – left a devastating and expensive toll on Florida’s agricultural industry. Christa Court, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Economic Impact Analysis Program (EIAP) director, confirmed that following the financial assessment of Hurricane Milton the cumulative total of all three storms topped $400 million. “The way …
Registration is ongoing for the upcoming Sweet Corn Conference, scheduled for Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Everglades Research and Education Center in Belle Glade, Florida. The conference will start at 8:30 a.m. and conclude at 1 p.m. Topics will feature research and expertise pertaining to weed management, insect management, …
