By Frank Giles This year has been a busy one for specialty crop growers and flew by as we flip the calendar to welcome 2024. The new year will surely be as busy and includes an exciting change here at AgNet Media. Introducing Specialty Crop Grower Beginning in January, AgNet Media will merge two of its magazines. Specialty Crop Industry …
Drought Monitor: Rain Alleviates Some Dry Conditions Across Southeast Region
Increased rainfall last week has alleviated some of the drought conditions being experienced throughout the Southeast. Extreme conditions are beginning to dwindle across North Alabama and Northwest Georgia, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. There are still areas across both regions that are in extreme drought, including in Pickens and Greene counties in west Alabama, stretching northeast to Jackson, Dekalb …
Attention Florida Blueberry Growers: What to Remember During Freezing Weather
By Clint Thompson University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) experts caution Florida blueberry growers about the potential for low temperatures this time of year and what management options they need to be concerned with. Doug Phillips, UF/IFAS blueberry Extension coordinator at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, emphasizes the importance of eyeing weather forecasts every …
USDA Now Accepting Applications for Farm Loans Online
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has launched an online application for Direct Loan customers. More than 26,000 customers who submit a Direct Loan application each year can now use an online, interactive, guided application that is paperless and provides helpful features including an electronic signature option, the ability to attach supporting documents such as tax returns, complete a balance …
FY 2024 Imports Forecast Up Compared to ’23
By Clint Thompson U.S. agricultural imports in FY 2024 are projected at $4.6 billion more than the FY 2023 and $500 million more than the forecast in August, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service and Foreign Agricultural Service Situation and Outlook Report. The ’24 forecast is at $200 billion, compared to $195.4 billion in ’23. The …
FAE General Session Covers Wide Range of Topics
By Frank Giles The Florida Ag Expo (FAE) kicked off its educational program with a welcome from Rob Gilbert, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) dean of research and interim head. Gilbert said the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC), where the Expo is held, embodies the university’s commitment toward investing in technological advancements. GCREC …
Drought Still Widespread Across Southeast
Drought still persists across the Southeast region. But exceptional drought no longer exists in North Alabama and North Georgia, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. The northern regions of both states are still classified in an extreme drought. Alabama’s driest areas start as far south as Bibb and Hale counties in the central part of the state and stretch northward …
Biden-Harris Administration Partners with Producers to Strength Ag Supply Chains
WASHINGTON – As part of the inaugural meeting of the White House Council on Supply Chain Resilience, President Biden and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced last week that the USDA is making investments that will strengthen American food and agriculture supply chains, expand markets for producers and lower food costs. “The Biden-Harris Administration is championing America’s …
Hemp Outlook in Alabama
By Clint Thompson Hemp applications are currently being accepted for Alabama producers, with the final day to apply set for Jan. 15, 2024, at 5 p.m. (CST). Katelyn Kesheimer, Auburn University assistant professor and Extension specialist, discussed what can be expected from hemp production in the state next year. “We’re probably going to see the same consistent growers we’ve seen …
USDA Invites Producers to Respond to Irrigation and Water Management Survey
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) mailed survey codes to a selected sample of irrigators across the 50 states with an invitation to respond online to the 2023 Irrigation and Water Management Survey. The survey is a special study to the 2022 Census of Agriculture and provides the only comprehensive dataset of irrigation …



















