(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). This new U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) program will take several actions to assist farmers, ranchers and consumers in response to the COVID-19 national emergency. President Trump directed USDA to craft this $19 billion immediate relief program to provide critical support to our farmers …
UGA, Georgia Department of Agriculture Offer Critical Training for Pest Control Application Online
By Maria M. Lameiras for UGA CAES News The University of Georgia and Georgia Department of Agriculture dicamba training program, Using Pesticides Wisely 2020, will move to online delivery for the remaining sessions. Using Pesticides Wisely (UPW) is a state program aimed at teaching farmers and other pesticide applicators how to properly apply pesticides to limit pesticide drift in Georgia. …
South Carolina Hemp Production Ready for Year Three
By Clint Thompson South Carolina producers interested in growing hemp this season will be issued permits by May 1, according to Eva Moore, communications director for the South Carolina Department of Agriculture. South Carolina farmers will be able to produce hemp for the third straight year. Moore said interest has grown each year. “We got a lot of support very …
Fried: Florida Farm to You Initiative a Tremendous Hit
By Clint Thompson The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) is connecting the state’s farmers with local consumers. The results so far have been tremendous, according to Nikki Fried, Florida Ag Commissioner. Fried highlighted the Florida Farm to You initiative that is designed to aid farmers, who are struggling to sell produce and other commodities during the ongoing …
West: Hope to be Stabilizing Influence During Time of Uncertainty
By Clint Thompson Effective July 1, the University of Georgia (UGA) College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) will have a familiar face to serve as interim dean. Joe West, who recently retired as assistant dean from the UGA Tifton campus, just hopes he can be a stabilizing influence during a time of uncertainty in the Ag industry in Georgia. …
Drought Still a Problem for Florida
By Clint Thompson Even with much-needed rainfall this week and more expected this weekend, Florida remains in a drought; severe in some cases. The southern portions of the state and along the peninsula will remain drier than normal for the foreseeable future, according to Pam Knox, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension state climatologist, . “I’ve been watching the drought in …
USDA Approves Florida’s State Hemp Program
Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture formally approved Florida’s state hemp program, clearing the way for Florida growers to begin cultivating hemp later this month. Agriculture Commissioner Nicole “Nikki” Fried, who will oversee Florida’s state hemp program through the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), offered the following statement: “After months of incorporating feedback from …
Vidalia Onion Crop on the Smaller Size
By Clint Thompson Bob Stafford, manager of the Vidalia Onion Committee in Vidalia, Georgia, believes weather during the growing season has impacted this year’s Vidalia onion crop. “We planted 9,373 acres and lost some to hail and we lost some to too much water. We had a bad growing season. We’ll have a good promotable supply, but they’ll be a …
Managing Nematodes in Potatoes
By Ashley Robinson There are a variety of nematodes that damage Florida potatoes. These plant-parasitic nematodes are small, microscopic roundworms that feed on plant tissue, causing severe damage to growers’ crops. To combat nematode populations, researchers at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) have been testing new nematicide products. ONGOING FIELD TRIALS Nematicide application is …
N.C. State Specialist: Bumper Crop in Strawberries This Year
By Clint Thompson The country’s No. 3 state in strawberry production is expecting a “bumper crop” this year, according to Mark Hoffmann, North Carolina State small fruits Extension specialist. “If the weather holds up, it’s going to be one of the best strawberry years in a long time,” Hoffmann said. “It’s a bumper crop right now.” Hoffmann made the comments …