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By Clint Thompson North Florida watermelon producers are on the brink of planting this year’s crop. One lingering problem that still concerns growers is fusarium wilt, says Mark Warren, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension agent in Levy County. “I think one of the things that scares our guys the most is this topic of …
The Tri-State Fruit and Vegetable Conference is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 28 at the Jackson County Extension Peanut Hall Auditorium in Marianna, Florida. That means fruit and vegetable producers from the Florida Panhandle, South Alabama and South Georgia are invited to attend. The meeting will begin with registration at 7:15 a.m. (CST), with the conference slated to begin at 8 …
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service Situation and Outlook Report, shipment volumes of sweet corn decreased by almost 10% year-to-date, but 2024 shipments (84% domestic) were 14.4% higher in October-November compared to those two months in 2023. Import volume was up 9.2% from January through October compared to a year earlier, reaching 181 million pounds. …
Regular registration remains open for those interested in attending this year’s Alabama Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (AFVGA) Annual Conference and Trade Show. This year’s event will be held on Feb. 5-7 at The Lodge at Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Early bird registration ended on Jan. 1, but regular registration is currently underway and will continue until …
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 …
