Nikki Fried: Consumer Conscience Awakening Result of COVID-19

Web AdminCoronavirus, Florida, Top Posts

By Clint Thompson A biproduct of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic was the positive response consumers had to supporting American farmers. Nikki Fried, Florida Ag Commissioner, calls it a “consumer conscience awakening.” “When people go to the food stores, they were seeing on one point, you’ve got Mexican strawberries inside of our food stores and then you’re seeing all of the …

Three Georgia Farmers Market Locations Could Be Spared

Web AdminCoronavirus, Fruit, Georgia, Produce, Top Posts, Vegetables

By Clint Thompson The revised budget cut requirements from the Georgia Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget and the State Legislature may have spared the state farmers market locations in Cordele, Thomasville and Savannah. Julie McPeake, Georgia Department of Agriculture Chief Communications officer, confirmed that as a result of the budget cut requirement from 14% to 10%, the State Legislature …

UF’s Angle: We need to have a more resilient marketing system

Web AdminAlabama, Florida, Fruit, Georgia, Produce, Top Posts, Vegetables

By Clint Thompson A second wave of the coronavirus pandemic is inevitable. Perhaps we are already in it, just a few months ahead of the fall forecasts that most projected would coincide with flu season. But you can pencil in COVID-19 as another challenge farmers will have to face this fall, especially as preparations are already underway for the fall …

Florida Vegetable Farmer: Future of American Farming Dismal

Web AdminFlorida, Top Posts

By Clint Thompson Florida vegetable farmer Sam Accursio paints a gloomy picture for the future of farming and the availability of food in the United States. “It’s dismal, unless the American consumer says we’ve had enough. We are going to support these American growers or we’re going to be hungry some day. It may not be in my lifetime. It …

San Jose Scale Problem for Peach Producers

Web AdminAlabama, Georgia, North Carolina, Peaches, Pests, South Carolina, Top Posts

By Clint Thompson Brett Blaauw, University of Georgia assistant professor in the Department of Entomology, says the time is now to treat San Jose scale crawlers which are peaking in peach orchards. “Right around late June, early July and then again in August, we see these real high populations of their larvae, the crawlers. Crawlers are also susceptible to insecticides. …

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Nikki Fried: Our Growers Cannot Compete

Web AdminExports/Imports, Florida, Fruit, Produce, Top Posts, Vegetables

Florida Ag Commissioner Makes Comments on USMCA By Clint Thompson Not every leader in the agricultural community believes the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) was the right move for American farmers. Even after the USMCA entered into force on Wednesday, Nikki Fried, Florida Ag Commissioner, remained vocal to her opposition to the agreement, mainly due to its impact on specialty crop …

Valent U.S.A. Offers Fast, Long-Lasting Insecticide

Web AdminAlabama, Disease, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Pests, South Carolina, Top Posts

By Clint Thompson Valent U.S.A. is offering a new insecticide that offers fast and long-lasting control of soft-bodied insects of vegetable and citrus crops. This is the first year that producers will have access to Senstar Insecticide. It provides farmers with two effective modes of action for control of soft-bodied insects, including whiteflies, aphids, thrips and pysillids. “Southeast vegetable and …

Secretary Perdue: President Trump Delivers USMCA, a huge win for U.S. Agriculture

Web AdminAlabama, Exports/Imports, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Top Posts

Contact: USDA PressEmail: press@oc.usda.gov (Washington, D.C., July 1, 2020) – Today, The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) enters into force, replacing the decades-old NAFTA. USMCA is a better deal for America’s farmers, consumers and workers that will set them up for success for decades to come. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue penned an oped in the North Carolina Fayetteville Observer …

Root Borers a Danger to Grapes in the Southeast

Web AdminAlabama, Florida, Fruit, Georgia, Grapes, North Carolina, Pests, South Carolina, Top Posts

By Clint Thompson The time is now for grape producers to protect their crop against the grape root borer, said Brett Blaauw, assistant professor in the Department of Entomology at the University of Georgia. He said usually in north Georgia, the grape root borers will emerge in early July. According to the UGA Extension Viticulture Blog, if farmers have not …