Specialty Crop Grower Magazine: The Last Word

Clint ThompsonSpecialty Crop Grower Magazine

By Rob Gilbert The Science of Sustainability The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) provides the science of sustainability. For specialty crop growers, sustainability must mean profitability. Our innovations have to make economic sense. My predecessors as University of Florida senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources have held this view for generations. I’m honored …

Mexican Tomato Industry Can’t Litigate Its Way Out of Dumping Charges

Clint ThompsonFlorida, Tomatoes

MAITLAND, FL – Last week, in response to a lawsuit by a large Mexican tomato exporter, the U.S. Court of International Trade remanded a 2019 decision to the Department of Commerce, which had determined Mexican tomatoes were being dumped in the U.S. market.  Importantly, this decision didn’t invalidate the fact that dumping took place but was a procedural decision that …

AFVGA Executive Director Expresses Concerns with AEWR

Clint ThompsonAlabama

By Clint Thompson The lack of a farm bill is concerning for Alabama fruit and vegetable farmers. But at the forefront of their minds is the current labor situation, specifically the Adverse Effect Wage Rate, tied to the H-2A program. Blake Thaxton, executive director of the Alabama Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (AFVGA), talked about the challenges his producers are …

Typical El Niño Winter Drenched Most of SE

Clint ThompsonWeather

By Clint Thompson Specialty crop growers knew heading into this season that it had the potential to be cold and wet. In certain areas across the Southeast (SE), this year’s El Niño did not disappoint. It was so wet across Alabama, Florida and Georgia that the mostly dry conditions that were present last fall quickly disappeared. In the most recent …

Strong Peach Season Expected for Alabama Growers

Clint ThompsonAlabama

By Clint Thompson Count Alabama as another state that should rebound with a bumper peach crop this year. After a Georgia industry leader confirmed his expectation of a bountiful crop to AgNet Media, Edgar Vinson, assistant research professor and Extension specialist in the Department of Horticulture at Auburn University, expressed optimism regarding this year’s peaches in Alabama. “We’re seeing pretty …

Alabama Strawberry Disease Update

Clint ThompsonAlabama, Strawberries

By Clint Thompson Alabama’s strawberry crop has progressed this year with minimal disease impact. Yes, diseases have been present in some fields, but their severity has been lessened this year. Ed Sikora, professor and Extension plant pathologist in the department of entomology and plant pathology at Auburn University, believes the lack of consistent rains have made certain diseases less impactful …

Attention Avocado Growers: UF/IFAS Survey Aims to Learn More About Disease Management

Clint ThompsonFlorida

There is no shortage of consumer appetite for avocados. Frequently incorporated into appetizers and desserts, avocado demand has surged in popularity. Meanwhile, production of avocado in the United States is under constant threat from diseases like Laurel wilt (LW) and Phytophthora root rot (PRR). They can devastate orchards if left unchecked. There is still much to learn about how growers …

Prompt Response: GFVGA Advises Growers to Complete Farm Labor Surveys

Clint ThompsonGeorgia, Labor

By Clint Thompson The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA) encourages specialty crop producers to respond promptly and accurately to labor surveys inquiring about H-2A and the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR). Chris Butts, GFVGA executive director, said farmers should expect the surveys to arrive via mail at any time. Growers’ response will help leaders with the U.S. Department …

Specialty Crop Grower Magazine: Emerging Pest Can Damage Wide Range of Crops

Clint ThompsonSpecialty Crop Grower Magazine

By Maegan Beatty The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has categorized Thrips parvispinus as a quarantine-significant pest. Thrips are small insects belonging to the order Thysanoptera. They are typically about 1 to 4 millimeters long and can vary in color from yellow to brown or black. Thrips are located across the world and are …

Few Abnormally Dry Areas in Southeast

Clint ThompsonDrought

Rainfall is plentiful in most areas across the Southeast. But in one spot, rain is starting to lack, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. While most of Alabama has sufficient moisture, areas in Mobile and Baldwin counties in the southern part of the state near the Gulf of Mexico are abnormally dry. Both dry spots are concentrated to the central …