By Clint Thompson Specialty crop producers are reminded that Sunday, Sept. 25 is the deadline to submit a comment to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) about the ramifications of the potential cancellation of multiple organophosphate pesticides. Growers would lose the last broad spectrum soil insecticide in vegetables in diazinon if the cancellation goes through. It would also impact different areas …
Registration Ongoing for Upcoming Georgia Ag Labor Relations Forum
By Clint Thompson Registration is ongoing for the upcoming Georgia Ag Labor Relations Forum, scheduled for Nov. 9-10 at ABAC’s Georgia Museum of Agriculture in Tifton, Georgia. The event is tailored towards agricultural employers, human resource managers and administrators. It will provide discussions with leading experts on how to navigate the challenge of finding and maintaining a consistent workforce, says …
Aftermath of Freeze on Georgia Blueberries
By Clint Thompson The aftermath of last spring’s freezing temperatures on Georgia’s blueberry crop was devastating. Crops were lost. Revenue that was counted on was never realized. Estimates were that more than 54 million pounds were lost as a result of the March 12-13 freeze event. The crop loss affected more than just growers themselves. Chris Butts, executive vice president …
GFVGA Executive Vice President: Price Challenges are Still There
By Clint Thompson Georgia’s specialty crop producers are in the process of planting this year’s fall crops. It comes on the heels of one of the most challenging spring/summer seasons they have ever experienced. The changing weather patterns of persistent rains to hot and dry conditions were a small part of this year’s challenge. The biggest hurdle remains diminished market …
Freedom to Farm Bill Passes in Georgia
By Clint Thompson The Freedom to Farm bill in Georgia was a legislative win for the state’s specialty crop producers. Just ask Will Bentley, president of the Georgia Agribusiness Council. “Freedom to Farm was the biggest bill, probably, we’ve had pass in a long time,” said Bentley, whose organization was an avid supporter of the bill. ONE LESS WORRYThere is …
Main Concern for Georgia’s Specialty Crop Producers: Increasing Imports
By Clint Thompson High input costs. Supply availability. Weather unpredictability. All are challenges that Georgia’s specialty crop producers are facing this year. But the main concern remains market pricing, or lack thereof. Growers are still being haunted by imports and their impact on producers being able to make a profit, said Chris Butts, executive vice president of the Georgia Fruit …
Bill Brim: Fighting for the Future of U.S. Farmers
By Clint Thompson Georgia farmer Bill Brim faces his share of challenges producing spring and fall crops in Tifton. But one worry haunts him daily: Where his grandchildren and future generations will get their food. “It’s going to come from the south of us (Mexico imports), and it’s going to be controlled by other people that you don’t want to …
#EveryBiteCounts: New Marketing Campaign Highlights Domestically Grown Produce
By Clint Thompson The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association’s new consumer-focused social media marketing campaign, #EveryBiteCounts, continues the organization’s effort to educate consumers about the importance of supporting local farmers. With the hashtag #EveryBiteCounts, the goal is to educate consumers about the impact of purchasing in-season domestically grown fruits and vegetables, says Chris Butts, executive vice president of the …
Freeze Event was ‘Gruesome’ for Blueberries
By Clint Thompson The freeze event during the March 12-13 weekend wiped out at least half of Georgia’s blueberry crop this season, according to early estimates. More than 54 million pounds of blueberries were lost when temperatures dropped into the 20s on that fateful Sunday morning. Temperatures were as low as 26 degrees Fahrenheit in Alma, Georgia on March 13, …
GFVGA: Freeze Event Timing Was Horrible
By Clint Thompson Georgia’s peach and blueberry crops were impacted by the sub-freezing temperatures felt across the state this past weekend. A few more days are needed, though, before growers know the extent of the potential damage, said Chris Butts, executive vice president of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA). “South Georgia blueberries got cold but those (farmers) …