By Clint Thompson Pecan harvests are commencing for early varieties across Georgia and Alabama. Growers should be mindful of last-minute spray applications that might be needed moving forward during this production season. Lenny Wells, University of Georgia (UGA) Extension pecan specialist, provides producers a checklist of what they should be wary of heading into harvest season. “Scab sprays have pretty …
Wait and See: Florida Tomato Industry Unsure How New Law Will Impact Labor Force
By Clint Thompson Florida’s controversial immigration law could affect the labor force available for the state’s specialty crop producers this year. That includes the tomato industry. Michael Schadler, manager of the Florida Tomato Committee and executive vice president of the Florida Tomato Exchange, spoke during Wednesday’s Tomato Conference in Labelle. He highlighted the law and how growers could be impacted. …
Wait and See: Florida Tomato Industry Unsure How New Law Will Impact Labor Force
By Clint Thompson Florida’s controversial immigration law could affect the labor force available for the state’s specialty crop producers this year. That includes the tomato industry. Michael Schadler, manager of the Florida Tomato Committee and executivevice president of the Florida Tomato Exchange, spoke during Wednesday’s Tomato Conference in Labelle. He highlighted the law and how growers could be impacted. “As …
U.S. Rep Introduces Federal Disaster Responsibility Act
U.S. Rep. Kat Cammack introduced the Federal Disaster Responsibility Act on Sept. 5. She said the bill, which fully funds the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Disaster Relief Fund (DRF), ensures that block grants are secured for Florida’s growers, among other things. The grants would make sure growers get the necessary tax breaks from hurricane losses they suffered. The bill would also …
UGA Vegetable Specialist: Nitrogen Applications in Onions Need to Be Adjusted
By Clint Thompson Vidalia onion producers should avoid applying too much fertilizer during planting. Too much can be leached out over the course of the production season, says Tim Coolong, associate professor in the University of Georgia (UGA) College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. He discussed nitrogen applications and his research during the Vidalia onion meeting last week in Lyons, …
UF/IFAS Encourages Florida Growers to Share Hurricane Impacts
Hurricane Idalia made landfall the morning of Aug. 30 near Keaton Beach, Florida, but the Category 3 storm’s northeastern route brought rain and high winds to coastal regions along the western peninsula and inland agricultural counties. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Economic Impact Analysis Program (EIAP) uses surveys after natural disasters, seeking information on …
What to Expect? Southeast Eyeing Hurricane Lee
By Clint Thompson On the heels of Hurricane Idalia, the Southeast is eyeing another monster storm, this time in the Atlantic Ocean. Hurricane Lee is churning towards the United States as a Category 5 storm. However, there is expected to be little, if any, impact on the Southeast, says Pam Knox, University of Georgia Extension Agricultural Climatologist. “If you look …
Root System Development Should Be Key Focus of Pecan Tree’s Early Years
By Clint Thompson Georgia pecan producers need to avoid “pushing their trees so hard” during the early years. The tops are too large to be supported by their root systems, said Lenny Wells, University of Georgia Extension pecan specialist. Wells wrote in his UGA Pecan Extension Blog after assessing the damage from Hurricane Idalia last week. The storm led to …
Floods, Warm Temperatures Promote Mosquito Production
Extensive rains, flooding and scattered debris that hold water can lead to mosquito development. Eva Buckner, an Extension specialist at University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory in Vero Beach, remains in close contact with many of Florida’s more than 65 mosquito control programs providing training, solutions and information on topics including mosquito …
Pecan Producer Loses Some Trees, Talks Season
By Clint Thompson Count pecans as one crop impacted by Hurricane Idalia’s trek through the Southeast. Trees toppled over. Limbs fell to the ground. Nuts were lost. One of those farmers who suffered loss was Jimmy Ross, a Tift County producer in South Georgia. He said a small orchard off Chula-Whiddon Mill Road had multiple trees down following Wednesday’s storm …