By Frank Giles A rally cry in agriculture that rings true in recent years is: “Food security is national security.” This mantra is often used in relation to trade disruptions caused by imports of agricultural products from foreign countries that cut into the profitability of U.S. farms. This is especially true for Southeastern specialty crop growers who have seen their …
Drought Conditions Linger Across Southeast
Drought-like conditions continue to persist across parts of the Southeast. But they have also decreased since a couple of weeks ago, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Florida’s dry conditions are mostly isolated to the northern region of the state. Abnormally dry conditions are observed in an area containing Dixie, Levy, Gilchrist, Columbia, Union, Alachua, Marion and Citrus counties. Polk …
You’ve Got Mail: Ag Organizations Implore Passage of New Farm Bill in Letter
More than 500 agricultural stakeholder organizations were part of a letter sent to legislative leaders imploring that a farm bill be finalized sooner rather than later; sooner meaning by the end of the year. The letter was addressed to Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House; Hakeem Jeffries, House Minority Leader; GT Thompson, chair of the House Committee on Agriculture; David …
Pecan Pointers to Remember
It is an important time of the production season for pecan producers. Lenny Wells, University of Georgia Extension pecan specialist, noted in the UGA Extension Pecan Blog that growers need to be aware of the time sensitive task of leaf sampling. The leaf sampling period runs through Aug. 7. It’s the period when nutrients are most stable in the leaf. …
UGA Vidalia Onion Production Meeting Scheduled for Aug. 22
Georgia’s Vidalia onion producers and industry experts should mark their calendars for an upcoming University of Georgia (UGA) Extension production meeting, scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 22, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Vidalia Onion and Vegetable Research Center in Lyons, Georgia. UGA Extension agents and specialists will provide updates on disease management, flavor research, storage trials, fertility trials, …
Ag Chemical Use Survey Results
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) conducted an agricultural chemical use survey of fruit growers in 12 states, pertaining to 21 multiple fruit crops. Those surveyed included multiple states in the Southeast, including Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. Data is for the 2023 crop year, the one-year period starting after the 2022 harvest …
SNAP Funding a Key Sticking Point in Farm Bill Discussions
By Clint Thompson A key component in the ongoing farm bill discussions is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Some democrats want a substantial funding increase in the program. U.S. Rep. Frank Lucas (R-Okla.), the longest-serving Member on the House Committee on Agriculture, believes the necessary funds are not available. It would diminish crop protections for production agriculture. Lucas spoke …
Sneak Peek: August 2024 Specialty Crop Grower Magazine
The cover story of the August issue of Specialty Crop Grower Magazine highlights the ongoing concerns over foreign investments being made into farmland across the U.S. As of 2021, about 3.1% or 40.83 million acres of U.S. ag land is foreign owned. Southeastern states like Florida, Alabama and Georgia have implemented action to address the issue. The Florida Legislature passed …
GFVGA Lawsuit Hearing Against DOL Slated for Aug. 2
By Clint Thompson A positive step was taken for Georgia specialty crop growers in the current lawsuit against the Department of Labor (DOL), challenging the new worker rules proposed for the H-2A program. Chris Butts, executive director of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA), a plaintiff in the case, said the implementation of the rules has been delayed …
UGA Tifton to Host Muscadine Cultivar Field Day
Muscadine producers are invited to attend a Muscadine Cultivar Field Day on Saturday, Aug. 17 at the University of Georgia (UGA) Tifton Campus Muscadine Vineyard. The field day will be held from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Patrick Conner, muscadine breeder, will provide a tour, beginning at 9 a.m. Visitors may follow through with the tour or can pick up …



















