U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) applauded Senate passage of a disaster supplemental that will provide much-needed funds to Florida’s Northwest communities, which were devastated by Hurricane Michael more than seven months ago. With Senate passage, Rubio urged the U.S. House of Representatives to swiftly approve the long overdue disaster-relief package, and send the measure to …
Controlling Bacterial Spot on Tomatoes and Peppers
Alabama Extension wants those growing tomatoes and peppers to be aware of bacterial spot, a common disease on the leaves of those two plants. There are several steps growers can take to control and prevent the disease, which involves using multiple management tactics. Controlling the disease with chemicals alone usually results in failure. Steps growers can take include rotating fields …
The Benefits of Beneficials
For organic growers, the tools to control pests are scarce. However, using insects to fend off pests may be a good option. Ayanava Majumdar, Alabama Cooperative Extension entomologist with Auburn University, has been studying the impacts of beneficials for years and is constantly getting questions from growers about how best to use these pest management tools. Majumdar says beneficials, or …
Sneak Peek: April VSCNews Magazine
The April issue of VSCNews magazine is packed with information for conventional and organic growers. Readers will learn about pest management methods and ongoing challenges faced by an organic commodity in Georgia in next month’s issue. An article by researchers with the University of Georgia and the U.S. Department of Agriculture — Bhabesh Dutta, Carroll Johnson and Jason Schmidt — …
Early Developing Peach Varieties Take a Hit
Early-developing varieties of peaches took a hit from recent freezing temperatures. Some parts of Alabama reached temperatures as low as 21 F from March 4 to 7. Depending on the area and conditions, early peach crops could be affected by this stretch of freezing weather. Edgar Vinson, an Alabama Extension commercial horticulture specialist, said early varieties took the major hit …
New Crops Provide New Hope
By Alison DeLoach Farmers and ranchers in Northwest Florida are looking to make a comeback after Hurricane Michael wreaked havoc on their crops. Glen Aiken, director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) North Florida Research and Education Center (NFREC), is working to help growers affected by the hurricane. According to Aiken, the affected areas …
Rotating Organic Insecticides
Rotating insecticides is key for organic growers. According to Ayanava Majumdar, Extension entomologist with Auburn University, if growers do not rotate their insecticides, they run the risk of harming natural enemies. Majumdar has been testing organic insecticide rotations in Alabama over the past six years. He noticed that using one insecticide did not work very well against high populations of …
Applications Now Available for Pilot Industrial Hemp Production
The Alabama Department of Agriculture & Industries (ADAI) is now accepting applications from eligible producers, farmers, and universities interested in growing industrial hemp. ADAI is also accepting applications from prospective industrial hemp processors. In 2016, the Alabama Legislature passed the Alabama Industrial Hemp Research Program Act, Section 2-8-380 Code of Alabama 1975, tasking the Department with the development of a …
Sneak Peek: December VSCNews Magazine
The Southeast has an incredibly diverse agricultural industry, and it continues to expand. The December issue of VSCNews magazine will explore up-and-coming crops in the Southeast, as well as some international crops that could be a good fit for this region. Hop production has been a popular topic in Florida, especially at the University of Florida’s (UF) Gulf Coast Research …
Florida-Georgia Water War Rolls On
The Florida-Georgia water war has made it to the nation’s highest court and back multiple times due to a dispute about water conservation. The water war involves the Chattahoochee and Flint rivers. These rivers begin in Georgia, then join to form the Apalachicola River, which is near the Florida border and flows into the Apalachicola Bay. Florida began the war by requesting limitations on …