By Maria M. Lameiras for CAES News Georgia farmers and agricultural producers eager to sell fresh produce and other products are being connected with consumers and other buyers who need their products through a new partnership between University of Georgia Cooperative Extension and the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s Georgia Grown program. Because of disruptions to the industry triggered by the …
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 …
Georgia Blueberry Growers Work to Overcome Challenges
By Ashley Robinson University of Georgia area Extension blueberry agent Renee Holland is confident about this year’s crop despite a challenging season. “This season, we have a beautiful blueberry crop load in Georgia,” Holland siad. “The berry quality is excellent, and thankfully, we’ve had very little disease or pest issues this year.” Challenges Facing Growers Georgia blueberry growers are no …
Georgia Peach Industry Expert ‘Optimistic’ About Crop, Market Outlook
By Clint Thompson A Georgia peach industry expert is confident about his state’s marketing outlook amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Duke Lane III’s company, Genuine Georgia, manages sales and marketing for the Georgia peach industry. He believes the market will be there for the Georgia peach farmers despite the presence of COVID-19 that has closed restaurants and shut down schools. …
Georgia Pecan Growers to Vote on Assessment Renewal
Georgia Department of Agriculture ATLANTA, GA – Georgia pecan growers of 30 acres or more will vote in May on the renewal of a one-cent per pound assessment on pecans for the Georgia Agriculture Commodity Commission for Pecans. Pursuant Georgia law, producers are required to vote every three years to renew the assessment. Voting takes place May 1 through May …
UGA, Georgia Department of Agriculture Offer Critical Training for Pest Control Application Online
By Maria M. Lameiras for UGA CAES News The University of Georgia and Georgia Department of Agriculture dicamba training program, Using Pesticides Wisely 2020, will move to online delivery for the remaining sessions. Using Pesticides Wisely (UPW) is a state program aimed at teaching farmers and other pesticide applicators how to properly apply pesticides to limit pesticide drift in Georgia. …
Georgia Peach Crop Primed for Success
By Clint Thompson Georgia’s peach crop is primed for a productive season. Hopefully, the market will oblige, says Dario Chavez, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension peach specialist. “We think, in general, the majority of the varieties did have enough chill (hours). The ones that we think may have some issues with chill are the later varieties, the higher-chill varieties. We …
COVID-19 Keeps Georgia Produce Farmers From Hiring Labor, Exporting Crops
By Sharon Dowdy, University of Georgia, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Georgia produce farmers are used to fighting plant diseases on their crops, but planting resistant varieties or spraying pesticides won’t keep Coronavirus (COVID-19) away. This disease has shut down borders and reduced access to the markets where farmers sell their crops, is keeping essential farm labor out of …
UGA Specialist not Concerned About Oversupply of Hemp in Georgia
By Clint Thompson Tim Coolong, associate professor in the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, said oversupply of hemp at the national level remains a concern. He’s not as worried with Georgia, however, due to rules and regulations in place. “I think on the bulk wholesale market, I’m still worried about oversupply. In Georgia, I think we’re in a …
Georgia Watermelon Farmer: What’s Worrying me the Most is the Labor
By Clint Thompson Terrell Rutland is preparing for the upcoming watermelon season just like other Georgia farmers. And like his fellow producers, Rutland is uncertain as to what to expect from this year’s crop, amid the coronavirus pandemic. “Nobody knows. That’s the end of the story, nobody knows,” Rutland said. “We don’t know about labor. We don’t know about price, …