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By Clint Thompson Confirmation hearings are currently ongoing for presidential nominees made by President Donald Trump. Two, in particular, are being closely monitored by the agricultural community and were highlighted last week during the Alabama-Florida Peanut Trade Show by Bob Redding. Redding, who works for the Redding Firm and serves as a lobbyist for agricultural groups in Washington, D.C., expressed …
The University of Georgia (UGA) Cooperative Extension will host the Vidalia Onion Crop and Disease Update on Thursday, Feb. 13, at the Vidalia Onion and Vegetable Research Center in Lyons, Georgia. The meeting will start at 10 a.m. and conclude at 1 p.m. The agenda will include a crop update, variety trial walk-through and disease management update provided by UGA …
By Clint Thompson One year ago, Ash Sial, University of Georgia (UGA) entomologist, reported that chilli thrips were the most serious emerging issue impacting the state’s blueberry crop. Not much has changed in a year’s time, unfortunately. “We are really scared of chilli thrips based on what we hear from Florida and blueberry grower experiences. What we hear from Florida …
RALEIGH – Now is the time for North Carolinians to act on wildfire mitigation practices and Firewise principles. By taking appropriate action, residents can help protect their homes and communities from wildfires by creating a defensible space while reducing risk. “Even though we’re still a few weeks from the official start of spring wildfire season, now is the time for …
By Clint Thompson Southeast blueberry producers have the answers to their potential concerns at their fingertips with the MyIPM application (app). The app is accessible by smartphone and can help growers diagnose problems in the field, whether they are a disease or insect issue, and apply necessary control measures. Jonathan Oliver, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and small fruits …
By Clint Thompson Chill hours have not been a problem this year for Georgia’s fruit farmers. They have experienced a sufficient amount of chill hours to help produce this year’s crop, especially compared to previous years. According to the University of Georgia Weather Network, Tifton, Georgia, received 729.25 chill hours from Oct. 1, 2024 to Feb. 2, 2025. That’s compared …
By Maegan Beatty Strawberry sales in Florida are expected to peak this month and will continue through March, though producer Dustin Grooms said they could be selling strawberries through May. The longer the better for growers like Grooms who have their share of difficulties to overcome this year. Hurricane Milton was a major obstacle for growers when it made landfall …
By Frank Giles It has become standard practice when new presidential administrations of opposing political parties come to office that a raft of executive orders are signed to undo actions of the previous administration. People in various sectors often look to these executive orders to roll back regulations that might be burdensome to their businesses. That’s true in agriculture, and …
By Clint Thompson Whiteflies are slowly migrating north through Alabama. It’s a concern for vegetable growers who are not used to managing the pest and now must implement control measures to prevent impact, especially with the viruses they can vector. Andre da Silva, Extension specialist and associate professor of horticulture at Auburn University, highlighted the pest during his presentation at …
According to the South Florida Pest and Disease Hotline, whitefly pressure is worsening in two areas in southern Florida. Scouts and farmers reported low population levels of whiteflies in beans in Southwest Florida and moderate levels overall. Population levels were increasing before temperatures started to dampen and cool off. However, populations are expected to increase since warmer temperatures have returned. …
