By Clint Thompson The excessive wet weather associated with El Niño this winter has provided ideal conditions for blueberry diseases to pop up. Phil Harmon, professor and Extension plant pathologist at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), highlighted the two disease concerns growers should be wary of heading into harvest season. They are botrytis gray …
Blueberry Water Needs Highlighted During Southeast Regional
By Clint Thompson Water requirements for blueberries was highlighted during the Southeast (SE) Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference. Wes Porter, University of Georgia Extension Precision Ag and Irrigation Specialist, focused his presentation on water needs for one of the Southeast’s most important fruit crops. “In the springtime when we start getting ready to put on buds and flowers, our water …
UGA Marketing Professor: Demand Still Strong for Fruits, Vegetables
By Clint Thompson Demand remains strong for Georgia’s fruits and vegetables. That’s the good news, believes Gopinath (Gopi) Munisamy, Distinguished Professor of Agricultural Marketing at the University of Georgia (UGA) College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. The challenge is determining how growers can capitalize amid rising labor expenses and increasing imports from other countries. He highlighted the specialty crop sector …
Challenges, Success Highlighted During UGA Ag Forecast Meeting
By Clint Thompson The sustainability of Georgia’s No. 1 industry continues to be threatened by various factors; maybe none more so than the high input costs. It was a topic discussed by the state’s legislative and farming leaders during the University of Georgia Ag Forecast meeting last Friday. “We’re looking at commodity prices that were around 20, 30 years ago,” …
Algal Stem Blotch a Growing Concern for Southeast Blueberry Producers
By Clint Thompson A fungal pathogen that was isolated to South Florida blueberries not too long ago is now on the radar of growers in North Florida and South Georgia. Phil Harmon, professor and Extension plant pathologist at the University of Florida, cautions farmers about algal stem blotch and believes it is a serious threat if not managed properly. “It’s …
What’s Happening? Clemson Extension Agents Provide Crop Updates
Weekly Field Update Clemson Extension agents provide updates in The South Carolina Grower this week about the status of various crops being produced throughout the state. Coastal Region Zack Snipes Midlands Phillip Carnley Rob Last Sarah Scott Pee Dee Brittney King Sponsored ContentNew Syngenta Varieties Offer Grower SolutionsFebruary 1, 2026Attribute® II Technology Adds More Flexibility and Strength to Sweet Corn …
Florida Blueberry Producer: Expect Full Bloom Maybe By Saturday
By Clint Thompson One Florida blueberry producer expects full bloom by the end of this week. The timing is comparable to previous years, says Ryan Atwood, who lives in Mount Dora, Florida and farms 56 acres of blueberries and manages another 350 acres. “I’m expecting to be in full bloom maybe by Saturday. There’s no such thing as a typical …
UGA Extension Entomologist Provides Update on Thrips Parvispinus
By Clint Thompson Thrips parvispinus (P.) is present in Georgia; just not widespread and in farmers’ fields … yet. “We have seen it. We have not seen it in the fields. We’ve seen it on ornamental plants and in big box stores, at Lowe’s in Tifton and Food Lion. Plants outside they are selling, if you go to pull the …
New USDA Investment in Specialty Crop Research, Trade Missions
By Sabrina Halverson The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is upping its investment in specialty crops for 2024 with key announcements in the areas of research and trade. USDA is investing $70.2 million in the Specialty Crop Research Initiative to support 21 research and Extension projects. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Xochitl Torres Small announced the funding and described the kinds …
Sneak Peek: January 2024 Specialty Crop Grower Magazine
Specialty Crop Grower Magazine is a new publication for AgNet Media. It is a product of the merger of Florida Grower and Specialty Crop Industry magazines. The inaugural January issue features the specialty crop tracker, a record of the crop progress based on observations from producers, Extension agents and industry stakeholders throughout the Southeast. The crops highlighted include watermelons, strawberries, …



















