Sneak Peek: July 2025 Specialty Crop Grower Magazine

Clint ThompsonFlorida, Georgia, Sneak peek

The July issue of Specialty Crop Grower Magazine puts Paul Orsenigo, founder of Grower’s Management Inc. in the spotlight. Unlike multigenerational farm families, Orsenigo is a first-generation farmer in the Everglades Agricultural Area in Florida. He produces a variety of leafy greens, sweet corn, sugar cane and rice. He discusses his humble beginnings, and they evolved into a 40-year journey …

Power Panel: Various Topics Planned for Expo Discussion

Clint ThompsonCitrus and Specialty Crop Expo

By Clint Thompson Fruit and vegetable production will be under the spotlight during this year’s Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo, scheduled for Aug. 20-21 at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa, Florida. There are no shortage of topics impacting growers across the Southeast, including Florida, South Georgia and South Alabama. They’ll be discussed during a panel discussion featuring leaders from …

citrus

Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo Power Panel to Address the Big Ag Issues

Dan CooperCitrus, Citrus and Specialty Crop Expo, Event

There is a lot happening in the world of specialty crops that impact growers’ business operations. The Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo will host a panel discussion with the leaders of three associations to tackle those topics. The panel will include Mike Joyner, Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association; Chris Butts, Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Association and Matt Joyner, Florida Citrus …

MAHA Report Could Have Global Impact

Clint ThompsonGeorgia

By Clint Thompson Southeast fruit and vegetable producers are not the only ones that could feel the sting from the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission report. It’s a global concern, says Chris Butts, executive director of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association. Butts stressed the need that growers continue to have access following the report’s potential negative impact. …

Southeast Ag Leaders Stress Crop Protection Tools Importance Amid MAHA Commission Report

Clint ThompsonGeorgia

By Clint Thompson Southeast specialty crop industry leaders are stressing the need for crop protection tools amid a report from the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission that raises the possibility that the federal government could restrict farmers’ access to these essential inputs. The Modern Ag Alliance highlighted in a press release how the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) boasts one …

Precision Ag Conference: We’ve Got to Do More With Less

Clint ThompsonGeorgia

By Clint Thompson Technological innovations in agriculture were the focus of this year’s Integrative Precision Agricultural Conference. It is likely the key to survival for most farmers, but especially specialty crop producers, explains Chris Butts, executive director of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA). “Technology has the potential to be the solution to level the playing field for …

Missed Opportunity: Tariffs Fail to Level Playing Field for Southeastern Growers

Clint ThompsonExports/Imports, Florida, Georgia

By Clint Thompson Tariffs imposed by the Trump Administration last week did not include products covered under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). That’s a missed opportunity to help Southeast specialty crop growers impacted by seasonal imports, says Chris Butts, executive director of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA). “Our greater concern is just disappointment that we felt like the …

Necessary Evil: Tariffs Help Protect From Overdependence on Foreign Food Supply

Clint ThompsonFlorida, Georgia, Trade

By Clint Thompson The threat and subsequent implementation of tariffs on China, Canada and Mexico by the Trump Administration triggered hard feelings and retaliatory tariffs. But it’s a necessary evil so support can be rallied for American businesses, including specialty crop farmers in Florida and Georgia. Chris Butts, executive vice president of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA), …

rubio

Leveling the Playing Field: Tariffs Good for Georgia Fruits and Vegetables

Clint ThompsonFlorida, Georgia

By Clint Thompson Tuesday’s tariffs implemented by the Trump Administration is helping level the playing field for Georgia’s fruit and vegetable industries. Chris Butts, executive vice president of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA), discussed the trade war which resulted in tariffs levied on China, Mexico and Canada. “We have tried everything we know to level the playing …

Specialty Crop Grower Magazine: Corbett Brothers Expanding Amid Increased Challenges

Clint ThompsonSpecialty Crop Grower Magazine

By Clint Thompson If your farming operation isn’t growing, it’s shrinking. That’s the Corbett family motto that’s been passed down from generation to generation. The philosophy serves as the basis for Justin Corbett, who operates Corbett Brothers Farms in Lake Park, Georgia, with his brother Jared. While some specialty crop farms are operating in survival mode due to increased input …