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Funding for specialty crop mechanization and automation research needs to be included in the farm bill. Representatives from multiple states issued a bipartisan letter in February urging the House Agriculture Committee to include federal financial support for mechanization and automation research in the next farm bill. Specialty crop producers have long struggled with labor challenges, relying heavily on the H-2A …
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is expanding crop insurance tailored for nursery producers to all counties in all states. Nursery Value Select (NVS) is a pilot program that enables nursery growers to select the dollar amount of coverage that best fits their risk management needs. Its expansion is part of USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) efforts to …
By Clint Thompson The inability for pecan producers to depend on China as a future export destination means Southeast growers must find a viable alternative. With nearly 1.5 billion people, India may be that option that farmers are looking for. Lenny Wells, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension pecan specialist, is highlighting India in his presentations during the winter production meetings. …
Abnormally dry weather conditions are more prevalent in one area of the Southeast, though the region remains mostly drought free, according to the latest release of the U.S. Drought Monitor. The southwest corner of Alabama and part of the Florida Panhandle are abnormally dry. The dry area in Alabama starts in Mobile and Baldwin counties and expands northward to include …
Vegetable farmers should be aware that whitefly populations are increasing across South Florida, according to the South Florida Pest and Disease Hotline. Scouts are reporting medium to high levels in watermelon, eggplant, tomatoes and brassicas across Southeast Florida. All life stages of the insect are present. Following the late fall tomato crop, scouts noticed an increase in younger plantings as …
The March issue of Specialty Crop Grower Magazine puts weed management in the spotlight. Amid concerns over a lack of a dependable workforce and need to reduce input costs, growers need to be more efficient in their production strategies like weed control. Nathan Boyd, weed scientist with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), along with …
WASHINGTON – The U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) published the report this week, Intent to Establish the Greenhouse Gas Technical Assistance Provider and Third-Party Verifier Program (PDF, 248 KB), authorized under the Growing Climate Solutions Act (GCSA). The GCSA was signed into law on December 29, 2022, as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023. This report justifying the …
The citrus industry has found footing in Georgia and needs continued support as this promising industry marches toward the future. Events like the Georgia Citrus Association annual meeting on Feb. 27 at the University of Georgia Tifton Campus Conference Center provided information tailored to protecting growers’ investments. “One of the things we wanted to do differently this year is remind …
By Clint Thompson Ambrosia beetle damage on vulnerable young trees is a concern for pecan producers in the Southeast. Trees that are most vulnerable are young and stressed, especially those under flooded conditions. Apurba Barman, an assistant professor of entomology at the University of Georgia Tifton Campus, is cautioning growers about beetle damage during this winter’s pecan production meetings throughout …
By Clint Thompson Persistent rains in the North Florida region amid the current El Niño weather pattern is a potential concern for the region’s watermelon producers. But as long as growers stay on top of their fungicide applications, any disease inoculum should be controlled, believes Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Regional Specialized Extension …
