By Clint Thompson Southeast watermelon producers prefer weather conditions to stay as dry as possible during harvest time. Needless to say, this summer has been anything but ideal for growers in Florida, Georgia and Alabama. Persistent rains, increased disease pressure and diminishing market prices have added up to a challenging couple of months, says Josh Freeman, University of Florida/IFAS Associate …
Costly Concerns: High Inputs, Freight Costs, Pallet Prices Worry Farmers
By Clint Thompson What had Southeast producers concerned in late spring and early summer has not changed in early July. High input costs, increased freight rates, outrageous pallet prices; all add up to a challenging time to produce vegetable and specialty crops. “We’re very concerned about it. Freight rates haven’t really backed off yet. We don’t know what’s going to …
Weather Update: Wet, Wet, Wet
By Clint Thompson Thursday’s release of the U.S. Drought Monitor tells farmers something they already knew – it is wet across the Southeast region. The U.S. Drought Monitor shows sufficient moisture in Alabama, Georgia and most of Florida. Only a portion of Miami-Dade County in Florida shows abnormally dry conditions. “They’re not even showing any abnormally dry conditions in Georgia …
Rain, Rain Go Away: Wet Summer Impacting Pecan Trees
By Clint Thompson A wet summer only got wetter this week for parts of Southeast Georgia in the path of Tropical Storm Elsa. While the steady rainfall in June and so far in July has replenished the moisture in the soil, it has had a negative impact on the state’s pecan trees. University of Georgia Cooperative Extension pecan specialist Lenny …
Government Subsidies: Mexico’s Advantage Leads to Increased Imports
By Clint Thompson One of the key factors in Southeast producers’ fight against increased imports are subsidies. Growers and industry leaders have said for years that the Mexican government provides subsidies to its producers. Farmers can afford to sell their produce at low prices or literally dump them in the U.S. if they are supported financially. University of Florida Associate …
Starting Off: Pecan Variety Selection Essential to Long-Term Sustainability
By Clint Thompson Sustainable pecan production starts before the producer plants their tree. The right variety selection could lead to reduced chemical sprays for scab disease, which could save the producer time and money over the course of their pecan trees. Picking varieties like Zinner and Avalon could have positive ripple effects for growers trying to overcome high input costs. …
High Volume, Prices for Melon Growers Heading Into Fourth of July Weekend
By Clint Thompson Vegetable and specialty crop prices are down for most commodities, except watermelon. Tim Coolong, associate professor in the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, said he heard last week that watermelon prices were holding at about 20 cents per pound. That’s encouraging news for producers heading into this week’s Fourth of July weekend. “Mid-June, …
Focus on Technology: GFVGA to Host Webinar in July
The Georgia Fruit Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA) will host a webinar in July, focused on precision agriculture and technology in the produce industry. The webinar will be held on Tuesday, July 13 at 1 p.m. Click here to register. In order to combat the rising costs of inputs, increased imports and labor regulations, growers need to focus on technology to …
Tropical Storm Elsa: Could Make Landfall by Early Next Week
An already rainy summer for Southeast vegetable and specialty crop producers could get wetter next week. According to the University of Georgia Extension Climate and Agriculture Blog, Tropical Storm Elsa is in the Atlantic Ocean and could head for the Gulf of Mexico this weekend. While potential landfalls range from Texas to North Carolina, the Southeast appears to be in …
San Jose Scale: Manage Peach Pest Now
By Clint Thompson A persistent pest of peaches is expected to once again be a nuisance. This summer provides a couple of ideal targeting periods for growers to manage San Jose Scale. Producers should try to target the San Jose Scale crawlers now and then again in late July to early August. They are the most vulnerable during these time …