The greatest risk of whiteflies to fall vegetable production are the viruses they can transmit, according to Meade McDonald, Syngenta Insecticide Product Lead. That’s why growers need to utilize every weapon in the arsenal this year to combat a threat that is reaching its highest infestations since 2017. “Using multiple modes of action and using as many tools that are …
Water War Arguments to be Held ‘In Due Course’
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday indicated it will hear oral arguments in the long-running water battle between Florida and Georgia but did not specify when. The court issued an order that said the dispute is “set for oral argument in due course.” The case involves divvying up water in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint river system, which stretches from northern Georgia to …
Clemson Extension Agents Provide Crop Updates
Clemson Extension agents provided updates in The South Carolina Grower this week about the status of various crops being produced throughout the state. Weekly Field Update 10-5-20 Coastal Zack Snipes reports, “The cooler weather and lots of rain have brought out the diseases. I saw some watermelon diseases last week including gummy stem blight. We need to protect our foliage …
First Virtual Georgia Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training
The Georgia Department of Agriculture Produce Safety Team is offering a virtual two-day Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training via Zoom on Oct. 21 and Oct. 22 from 8 a.m.-noon. Any produce grower who grows, packs, harvests and/or holds covered produce, makes more than $25,000 in annual produce sales (on average, based on the past three years of sales), and does …
United Fresh Releases Fresh Facts on Retail Report
A new report covers the increasing popularity of e-commerce and the unprecedented rise of in-home consumption triggered by COVID-19, including the continued growth of fresh fruit and vegetable sales. United Fresh Produce Association released its Q2 2020 issue of FreshFacts on Retail this week. The report measures retail price and sales trends for the top 10 fruit and vegetable commodities …
UGA awarded $2.7 million grant to fight fungus in broccoli
By Josh Paine for UGA CAES News A new multistate project will bring together researchers from the University of Georgia and partner universities to fight Alternaria leaf blight and head rot in broccoli, a plant disease that thrives in warm temperatures and humidity. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded a $2.7 million Specialty Crop …
Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association Names New Board Chair, Vice Chair
MAITLAND, Fla. (Oct. 2, 2020) – The Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association has named Aaron Troyer, president of Troyer Brothers in Fort Myers, as its chair for 2020-22. David Hill, president of Southern Hill Farms in Clermont, was named vice chair. In addition, FFVA members voted to appoint three new directors to the board: Jon Esformes of Pacific Tomato Growers, Chris …
USDA Announces $76.8 Million in Grants to Strengthen Specialty Crop Industry
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced on Wednesday it has awarded $72.4 million in grant funding through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) and $4.4 million in grant funding through the new Micro-Grants for Food Security Program (MGFSP). Both are authorized by the 2018 Farm Bill and awarded to eligible states and territories through …
U.S. Sugar Announces 90th Sugarcane Harvest Season
Clewiston, Fla. – U.S. Sugar announced on Wednesday it will celebrate its 90th sugarcane harvest season, scheduled to start Thursday. In addition, the company released its “State of Our Air” Report to the community describing the safe and successful 2019/2020 sugarcane harvest season. This inaugural report compiles air quality data from the region and confirms the Glades communities’ air is …
North Carolina to Continue Under Industrial Hemp Pilot Program
According to the North Carolina State Extension, the NC Industrial Hemp Pilot Program was set to expire on Oct. 31, 2020. However, Congress passed a law (Wednesday) that allows states to continue their pilot programs until Sept. 20, 2021. For the time being the rules for growing hemp, licensing, compliance testing, etc. will remain the same in NC. NCDA&CS has …