By Clint Thompson The Citrus and Specialty Crop Expo, slated for Aug. 21-22 at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa, appeals to fruit and vegetable growers from across the Southeast, including those from Georgia, Alabama and North Florida. It will offer seminar sessions that highlight specialty crop production while also offering opportunities to discuss business with the many vendors that …
Specialty Crop Grower Magazine: The Quest to Be the Best
By Clint Thompson Spencer McLeod did not set out to be one of the largest peach producers in the Southeast. It just happened that way. “I don’t necessarily want to be the biggest grower and I don’t want to be the smallest grower, but I want to be the best grower,” McLeod said. Producing a Plethora of Peaches McLeod has …
What’s Next? How Pecan Producers Should Proceed if Crop Has Drift Damage
By Clint Thompson Herbicide drift’s impact on orchards in the Southeast has left many pecan producers wondering how to proceed. What should they do? Who should they contact? What evidence needs to be collected? Lenny Wells, University of Georgia Extension pecan specialist, emphasizes the importance of documenting damage. “To cover all of their bases, in case there is an issue, …
Specialty Crop Grower Magazine: Big Issues Addressed at Florida Citrus Show
By Frank Giles Last year, AgNet Media took over hosting responsibilities for the Florida Citrus Show in Fort Pierce. With that change, the event moved to the neighboring facilities of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Indian River Research and Education Center and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service U.S. Horticultural Research …
Specialty Crop Grower Magazine: Congressional Inertia Hamstrings Produce Priorities
By Cathy Burns Last year, what the specialty crop industry received in terms of legislative and regulatory policies from federal lawmakers was a mixed bag. While we did see a few positives in terms of investment opportunities in innovation, technology and sustainability, we also saw negatives such as proposed cuts to the fruit and vegetable benefit in the Women, Infants …
USDA Expands Insurance Option for Nursery Growers to All States
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 …
USDA to Provide More Than $3 Billion to Commodity and Specialty Crop Producers Impacted by 2022 Natural Disasters
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will provide more than $3 billion to commodity and specialty crop producers impacted by natural disaster events in 2022. Eligible impacted producers can apply for financial assistance through the Emergency Relief Program (ERP) 2022. The program will help offset the financial impacts of crop yield and value losses from qualifying disasters occurring in 2022. “2022 was …
Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo is a Hit in Tampa
By Frank Giles The Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo ventured into new territory this year — literally. After three decades at the Lee Civic Center in Fort Myers, this year’s event was held at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa. There were several factors forcing the move, including damage to the Lee Civic Center from Hurricane Ian. With a new …
Survey Says: Growers to Use Cover Crops Even If Not Incentivized
Cash incentives have spurred some growers to implement cover crops as part of their farming operations. But a recent survey has shown, after those incentives from cash or crop insurance discounts go away, producers are prone to stick with the process. In a U.S. Department of Agriculture interview, Rob Myers, director of the MU Center for Regenerative Agriculture at the …
Major Deadline Looming: Acreage Reports Due for Most Crops by July 17
Southeast specialty crop producers are reminded that July 17 is a major deadline to file acreage reports with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for most crops. Crop acreage reports document the crops grown on producers’ farms and ranches along with their intended uses. Farmers must file timely acreage reports to be eligible for many of the USDA programs. These …