GFVGA Executive Director: Congressional Reform Needed for H-2A Program

Clint ThompsonGeorgia

By Clint Thompson Unionization among farmworkers goes against the Supreme Court ruling and is a basis for the lawsuit against the Department of Labor (DOL) by the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association. It also serves as added rationale that the H-2A program needs congressional reform, says Chris Butts, executive director of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA). …

Here’s What Happened: North Florida Watermelon Season Recap

Clint ThompsonFlorida, Watermelon

By Clint Thompson Georgia’s delayed start to the watermelon season was North Florida’s gain for a second year in a row. Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Regional Specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, Florida, confirmed last week that some of his growers were still picking over fields, mostly because Georgia volume had not …

First Tropical Storm of Season; More to Come

Clint ThompsonWeather

By Clint Thompson The first tropical storm of the season was named last week, a little later than normal. But that should not fool producers into thinking that’s a foreshadow of what’s to come this storm season, believes Pam Knox, University of Georgia (UGA) Extension agricultural climatologist. “We hadn’t gone this late in the year without an ‘A’ storm since …

Drought Intensifying, Expanding Across SE

Clint ThompsonDrought

By Clint Thompson Abnormally dry conditions have become more widespread across the Southeast (SE), due to the lack of rainfall over the past couple of weeks, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Most of northern and central Florida is abnormally dry. The dry conditions start in Leon and Wakulla counties, stretch east to Nassau and Duval counties and southward to …

GFVGA Lawsuit: We’ve Got to Do Everything We Can to Protect Labor For Future

Clint ThompsonGeorgia

By Clint Thompson The current lawsuit against the Department of Labor (DOL) is a last resort for Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA), a plaintiff in a case that is challenging new worker rules proposed for the H-2A program. Chris Butts, executive director of the GFVGA, explains his organization’s position in joining a lawsuit against the DOL. This is …

warm

Warm Waters: Current Ocean Temps Closer to What’s Seen in August

Dan CooperEnvironment, Weather

The long-range weather forecasts call for an extremely active tropical season. Much of that potential for increased activity this summer is due to warmer-than-normal water temperatures, says Pam Knox, University of Georgia (UGA) Extension agricultural climatologist. “If you look at the longer range (forecast), we do see a pattern shift that is going to allow more likely (storm) development, probably …

Drought Monitor Update: Increased Dry Areas Being Observed in Southeast

Clint ThompsonDrought

By Clint Thompson Increased drought conditions are starting to flare up in North Georgia, while central and southern Florida remains dry, according to last week’s release of the U.S. Drought Monitor. Abnormally dry areas are being observed in the northwest part of Georgia. They start along the Georgia-Alabama state line in Troup, Heard, Carroll and Haralson counties; stretch eastward to …

Specialty Crop Grower Magazine: The Last Word

Clint ThompsonSouth Carolina

Promotion and Protection of South Carolina Peaches Swaying in the balmy breezes coming off of the Atlantic Ocean are the trees South Carolina is known for — not palmetto trees, but peach trees. While Georgia may be known as the Peach State, South Carolina is actually the nation’s second-largest peach producer after California. South Carolina harvests more than 200 million …

Attacking Anthracnose: UGA’s Dutta Highlights Research in Watermelon Disease

Clint ThompsonGeorgia, Watermelon

By Clint Thompson University of Georgia (UGA) research aimed at managing anthracnose disease in watermelons continues on the Tifton Campus. Project director Bhabesh Dutta, University of Georgia Extension vegetable plant pathologist, outlined various aspects of the grant during a recent Extension agent training. Dutta emphasized the importance of trying to reduce the disease’s impact from all angles. “We’re trying to …

‘Real Excitement’ Surrounds Potential Pecan Relationship with India

Clint ThompsonGeorgia, Pecan

By Clint Thompson A trade mission to India in April highlighting pecans was successful. But more education is needed to make exporting pecans to India a reality and not just a dream. Justin Jones, Georgia pecan grower, chairman of industry relations for the American Pecan Council and co-owner of brand Zorro Pecans, attended the trip and talked about the educational …