Sneak Peek: December 2024 Specialty Crop Grower Magazine

Clint ThompsonSneak peek

The cover story of the December issue of Specialty Crop Grower Magazine highlights Southern Hill Farms in Lake County, Florida. Diversification is the name of the game for David Hill and his family’s farming operation. Blueberries, strawberries, blackberries and vegetable crops are available, which has widened the you-pick season through the fall, winter and spring seasons. The International Fresh Produce …

New Administration Brings Energy, Hope That Ag Issues Get Resolved

Clint ThompsonTrade

By Clint Thompson A new administration in the White House beginning in 2025 provides a fresh start for the agricultural community. Bob Redding, who works for the Redding Firm and serves as a lobbyist for agricultural groups in Washington, D.C., discussed the ramifications of the November election and what can be expected in the agricultural industry moving forward. “I think …

Stats Don’t Lie: GFVGA Executive Director Explains Need for Assistance with Imports

Clint ThompsonGeorgia, Labor

By Clint Thompson Statistics support claims by industry experts that imports are negatively impacting fresh fruits and vegetables being produced across the Southeast. It’s why Chris Butts, executive director of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA), has been adamant that legislative help is needed and why the Protecting Our Produce Act would be a good first step for …

Specialty Crop Grower Magazine: 2024 Hurricanes Rock Fruit, Vegetable Producers

Clint ThompsonSpecialty Crop Grower Magazine

By Clint Thompson and Frank Giles The fall of 2024 will not soon be forgotten by specialty crop growers in the Southeast after Hurricanes Helene and Milton roared ashore bringing far-reaching impacts to crops and infrastructure. While the true fallout of the storms will take months to realize, early reports show the level of damage growers are dealing with in …

Pineberry Still Appealing to Consumers

Clint ThompsonFlorida

By Clint Thompson More than three years after the pineberry started gaining traction as popular Florida-produced berry, interest in the specialty crop continues to grow, according to Wish Farms Director of Marketing Amber Maloney. “We love growing the pineberries. We see excitement on the retailer side, still,” Maloney said. “When we first introduced it, it was something brand new. It …

UF/IFAS Supports Florida After Hurricanes Helene, Milton

Clint ThompsonFlorida

Despite some having their own homes without power or damaged in the wake of Hurricane Helene, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) faculty and staff across North Florida readied themselves as an Incident Command Post was established at the Suwannee County Fairgrounds. “Our Extension agents got to work quickly, helping farmers put up fences, clear debris …

Sneak Peek: November 2024 Specialty Crop Grower Magazine

Clint ThompsonSneak peek

The November issue of Specialty Crop Grower Magazine highlights the impacts of Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton on specialty crop production in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. The two storms, separated by less than two weeks, devastated fruit and vegetable crops in Southeast Georgia, the Carolinas and most of Florida. Helene caused an economic impact of $6.46 billion …

Let Me Explain: Rising Imports Led Georgia Farm to Abandon Blueberry Crop

Clint ThompsonGeorgia

By Clint Thompson Sen. Jon Ossoff’s visit to J.E.T. Farms in Camilla, Georgia, on Friday allowed Karla Thompson to show her senator the impact that imports left on her company’s blueberry crop. The impact was staggering; 13.5 acres of product not harvested this past season because it was not financially feasible to do so. “Today was really important for us …

Georgia Blueberry Producer Expects 40% of Crop in 2025

Clint ThompsonBlueberries, Georgia

By Clint Thompson Georgia’s blueberry industry suffered a $52 million impact following Hurricane Helene. An additional $150 million impact could also be realized with future quality losses. Preliminary estimates for the economic impact of Hurricane Helene topped $6 billion, according to totals released last week by the University of Georgia (UGA) College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES). Russ Goodman, …

Blueberry Disease Management Recommendations After Hurricane Helene

Clint ThompsonBlueberries, Georgia

Hurricane Helene left devastation in its wake following its trek through Georgia on Sept. 27. One of the main crops impacted were blueberries. Jonathan Oliver, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and small fruits pathologist, noted in the UGA Blueberry Extension Blog that blueberry disease management should be a focus of blueberry producers moving forward. “In areas that got a …