By Clint Thompson Between natural disasters, a pandemic and unfair trade practices, Georgia blueberry farmers have taken one blow after another the past four years. For some farmers, a hailstorm on April 23 was the ultimate knockout punch. Russ Goodman, co-owner of Cogdell Berry Farm with 600 acres in Clinch and Lanier counties, lost between 60% and 70% of the …
Ag Industry Hopes Georgia Grown Message Reaps Bountiful Harvest
By Clint Thompson Now more than ever, buy Georgia Grown. Georgia’s agricultural industries are highlighting this message during the state’s peak season of harvesting produce. Georgia Farm Bureau, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension and Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Association are promoting Georgia Grown produce at a time when the state’s farmers need them the most. “We need folks asking their …
USDA Report Yields Results for 2019 noncitrus/nuts season
By Clint Thompson The United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service released its findings for noncitrus fruits and nuts in the Southern Region for the 2019 crop year. These estimates were based on grower surveys. Avocados: Florida’s production of avocados was up 88% from 2018. Its value of production was up 54%. Yields rebounded in 2019. Utilized production …
Blueberry Farmer Reflects on Lost Crop Following Hailstorm
By Clint Thompson A devastating hailstorm on Thursday, April 23 wiped out production for one of the largest blueberry farming operations in the Southeast, says blueberry farmer Phillip Mixon. The former owner of Mixon Farms, who now serves as manager, reflects on what might have been with this year’s crop. “We had the best crop we had since about 2016,” …
Boxed Produce Leads to Sweet Results
By Clint Thompson Thinking inside the box helped Brill Brim sell fruit and vegetables while providing an outlet for consumers to buy local produce. Brim, a Tifton, Georgia farmer, was overwhelmed with the positive response his produce boxes generated in the South Georgia area this week. The co-owner of Lewis Taylor Farms said they sold between 1,300 and 1,400 produce …
Georgia Farmer Thinking Inside the Box
By Clint Thompson One South Georgia farmer is thinking inside the box when it comes to moving this year’s fruit and vegetable crop. Like his brethren in Florida, Bill Brim’s farming operation has been impacted by the orders of self-quarantine amid the current coronavirus pandemic. The lack of a foodservice market led to a sharp decline in demand for fresh …
Commissioner Nikki Fried Highlights $522 Million in COVID-19 Crop Losses and Importance of Agriculture Aid
Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, Agriculture Commissioner Nicole “Nikki” Fried and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) released the Florida Seasonal Crop COVID-19 Impact Assessment, a new report providing data on crop losses facing Florida farmers. Based on figures reported by growers, total crop losses across the state through mid-April 2020 may exceed $522.5 million. Florida is the nation’s second-largest producer of seasonal specialty …
U-Pick Farms Feeling Impact of Coronavirus Pandemic
By Clint Thompson Agribusinesses that offer U-pick farms are not immune to the devastating impact of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Cassie Young and sister Allie Logan own Backyard Orchards in Eufaula, Alabama. Backyard Orchards has closed the U-pick part of its operation but continues to sell strawberries via social media, mainly Facebook. It also has a store with a commercial …
Citrus Farmer: Crop not a Cure-All but Definitely Money-Making Opportunity
By Clint Thompson A farmer in north Florida is excited about the potential of citrus in the South Georgia-North Florida region. Kim Jones, who owns a citrus packing facility in Monticello, Florida and is part-owner of a similar facility that will soon open in Tifton, Georgia, believes citrus will be the alternative crop producers are looking for to stabilize their …
Crop Insurance Hurricane Endorsement Offered
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) has announced a new crop insurance endorsement, Hurricane Insurance Protection – Wind Index (HIP-WI). HIP-WI covers a portion of the deductible of the underlying crop insurance policy when a county, or adjacent county, is within the area of sustained hurricane-force winds. HIP-WI provides coverage for 70 different crops, including all citrus, insured under …