Clewiston, FL – U.S. Sugar recently released air quality data from government and private sources showing the results of three years of air quality monitoring in the Glades farming communities. The latest report shows better than average air quality in the Glades. It also includes internal data collected by professional air monitoring experts on behalf of U.S. Sugar confirming the public air …
Georgia Economist: Farmers Will Get Through This
By Clint Thompson The great author Charles Dickens once wrote, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,” in his famous novel, A Tale of Two Cities. The current state of affairs can best be described as challenging times for Georgia’s specialty crop producers. Consider how input costs have skyrocketed since last spring; how labor availability …
Florida Blueberry Management: February Points of Emphasis
Blueberry management in Florida in February is critical with harvest season just around the corner. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) reminds producers of various tips to keep in mind this month. From a disease standpoint, growers need to monitor for botrytis and control when need. Farmers also need to apply fungicides in rotation for control …
Agricultural Exports Shattered Records in 2021
WASHINGTON – American agricultural export levels reached its highest annual export levels ever recorded in 2021, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced on Tuesday. The final 2021 trade data published by the Department of Commerce showed that exports of U.S. farm and food products to the world totaled $177 billion, topping the 2020 total by 18% and eclipsing the previous …
Georgia Commercial Apple Production Meeting Announcement
University of Georgia Extension is looking forward to assisting Georgia’s commercial apple growers as the season progresses. To help get prepare for another year, Gilmer County Extension will host the annual North Georgia Apple Production Meeting. The production meeting will be held on Friday, Feb. 11, at the Gilmer County Public Library in the downstairs meeting room from 10 a.m. …
Clemson Extension Agents Provide Crop Updates
Clemson Extension agents provide updates in The South Carolina Grower this week about the status of various crops being produced throughout the state. Coastal Region Zack Snipes reports, “Now is the time for Lowcountry strawberry growers to give their plants the first shot of boron. Boron helps with both flower and fruit development. Growers can spray boron or inject via the drip …
Phytophthora Root Rot a Problem in Georgia Strawberries
By Clint Thompson Georgia strawberry producers may not have had to deal with much of Neopestalotiopsis Fruit Rot this year, but phytophthora root rot is a different story. “Right now, this year, I’ve seen quite a few samples with phytophthora come in, unfortunately,” said University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Fruit Disease Specialist Phil Brannen. Brannen discussed some of the possibilities …
Asian Bean Thrip: What to Know for Snap Bean Growers
By Clint Thompson The emergence of the Asian bean thrip (ABT) is an added concern for specialty crop producers in the South Florida. While there are effective insecticides available, snap bean growers should still be wary of ABT, says Hugh Smith, an associate professor of entomology and nematology at the UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center. “Asian bean thrips …
Clemson Beginning Farmer Program Assisting Next Generation of Growers
By Clint Thompson South Carolina producers interested in enrolling in the Clemson Extension South Carolina New and Beginning Farmer Program (SCNBFP) have until Feb. 20 to apply. The program is designed to help growers with zero to 10 years of experience, who are just starting their business or need help accelerating their farming operation, says Ben Boyles, SCNBFP director and …
Sanitation, Documentation Key Management Strategies for Food Safety
By Clint Thompson Sometimes one bad apple can spoil a bunch. For a specialty crop producer, it can mean their livelihood. Proper sanitation and documentation are essential management practices to the long-term sustainability of a farming operation. Growers need to regularly clean their packinghouse equipment while maintaining adequate records. This can prevent the recall of a large amount of produce, …