By Frank Giles The Executive Farm Management program, offered by North Carolina (N.C.) State Extension, Clemson Cooperative Extension, East Carolina University College of Business and University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, is set to begin on Tuesday, Jan. 18. Blake Brown, an Extension economist with N.C. State, said there’s still time to sign up for the program. Interested growers should act …
2022 SE Regional Conference Event Helps Producers Move Forward
The Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference was just what the doctor ordered for growers yearning to reconnect with fellow farmers and look ahead to the upcoming season. “We are pleased with the continued attendance for this event,” said Drew Echols, Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA) president. “After our virtual event in 2021, it was encouraging to see our …
Alabama Extension Offering Peach Insect, Disease Management Chart
Alabama Extension is offering a Peach Insect and Disease Management Chart for peach producers. The tool is a resource growers can carry with them and help manage insects during certain tree cycles. It includes the most common insect pests, including scale, European red mite, lesser peachtree borer and thrips. It also includes what management options growers have for prevention of …
Harvests, Sanitation Key to Preventing Yeast Rot in Blueberries
By Clint Thompson Timely harvests and sanitation practices are two ways blueberry growers can avoid yeast rot becoming a major problem in 2022. The disease devastated South Georgia’s rabbiteye blueberries in 2020. Phil Harmon, professor and Extension plant pathologist at the University of Florida, says there’s not a viable chemical option for farmers to implement. Management will have to involve …
Hops Future in North Carolina? N.C. State Researcher Optimistic
By Clint Thompson The potential of new high-yielding hops varieties has N.C. State Associate Professor and Extension specialist Jeanine Davis optimistic about the crop’s future in North Carolina. “The growers are very excited because these yields are as high, and in some cases, higher than yields we’re often seeing in say Michigan and New York,” Davis said. “I think if …
Better Now Than Later: Vidalia Onions Should Recover After Wind Damage
By Clint Thompson High wind speeds a week ago bruised some of Georgia’s Vidalia onion plants. Fortunately, it happened now as opposed to two months later closer to harvest. That’s the feeling shared by Chris Tyson, University of Georgia Extension Area Onion Agent at the Vidalia Onion & Vegetable Research Center in Lyons, Georgia. “That bruising where the onions got …
UF/IFAS to Host Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training
The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension Food Safety Team will host a Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training on Wednesday, Jan. 19 at the Jefferson County Extension office in Monticello, Florida. The registration deadline is Wednesday, Jan. 12. Fruit and vegetable producers interested in learning about produce safety or who need to satisfy the Food …
UGA Extension Pecan Production Meeting Sites Announced
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension has announced upcoming pecan production meeting sites for January through March. All meetings are slated to be lunch meetings unless noted otherwise. Here is a list of the scheduled meetings: Jan. 27, Cook County; Feb. 1, Laurens County; Feb. 3, Grady County; Feb. 8, Appling County; Feb. 15, Peach County; Feb. 16, Pierce County/Ware County; …
Blueberry App Puts Information at Growers’ Fingertips
By Doug Phillips The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) blueberry breeding program has developed a phone app resource that includes several tools for Florida blueberry growers. It is available for download on both iOS and Android systems. Blueberry breeder Patricio Muñoz developed the idea for the UF/IFAS Blueberry Growers Guide app. He had a vision …
USITC Releases Results of Investigations Concerning Imports of Cucumbers, Squash
Two investigations by the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) yielded various conclusions about the impact that imports of cucumbers and squash are having on U.S. seasonal markets. The USITC’s conclusions regarding cucumbers include: Mexico is a highly competitive supplier of summer squash, with low costs, a reputation for consistently high product quality, and preferential packing and sorting. In the United …