MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI) $495,000 to fund projects that strengthen Alabama’s specialty crop industry through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP). The program will fund 12 projects to enhance competitiveness of specialty crop growers by using marketing, education and research for Alabama’s specialty crop …
Specialty Crop Grower Magazine: Jordan Carter is a Voice for Watermelon Producers
By Clint Thompson Growing up in Cordele, Georgia, the “Watermelon Capital of the World,” Jordan Carter never imagined working in agriculture and being a voice for watermelon growers across the Southeast. She was, after all, selling insurance as recently as 2013 before joining Leger & Son as director of sales and marketing. Eleven years later, she is the vice president …
Dry Weather’s Impact on Alabama Pecans
By Clint Thompson Any rainfall at this point in the production season will benefit Alabama pecan farmers, especially considering the prolonged dry period in August. That’s why the potential rain amid Hurricane Francine’s trek northward last Thursday had Bran Futral, Alabama Pecan Growers Association president, excited. “I would tell you probably, this summer, we’ve got irrigation, and early in the …
Florida Ag Expo Scheduled for Nov. 7
Registration is ongoing for this year’s Florida Ag Expo event, scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 7 at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC) in Wimauma, Florida. The Florida Ag Expo has served as the premier event for small fruit and vegetable growers in Florida and the Southeast for more than …
Citizen Scientists Help UF/IFAS Researchers Find Best Tasting Tomatoes
People with a green thumb for growing tomatoes are giving University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers data to help them find tastier tomatoes. Through a citizen science program, Denise Tieman, a UF/IFAS research associate professor of horticultural sciences, and her lab are retrieving viable data from residential gardeners about which tomato varieties grow and taste …
NPC to Advocate for U.S. Fresh Potato Access During U.S.-Japan Bilateral Meeting
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representatives from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) are scheduled to host plant health technical bilateral meetings with their Japanese counterparts in Idaho Falls, Idaho, Sept. 17-19, to continue mission-critical work on phytosanitary topics. National Potato Council (NPC) CEO Kam Quarles and others from the U.S. potato industry will attend …
Clemson Extension Agents Provide Updates
Weekly Field Update Clemson Extension agents provide updates in The South Carolina Grower this week about the status of various crops being produced throughout the state. Midlands Phillip Carnley Pee Dee Christiana Huss Upstate Briana Naumuk Andy Rollins Sponsored ContentNew Syngenta Varieties Offer Grower SolutionsFebruary 1, 2026Attribute® II Technology Adds More Flexibility and Strength to Sweet Corn Pest ManagementJanuary 1, …
HLB and Psyllids in Georgia Commercial Citrus
One of Georgia citrus growers’ worst fears is slowly becoming a reality. Citrus greening, also known as huanglongbing (HLB), was observed in a Georgia commercial citrus grove for the first time in 2023. This is alarming news for the industry, says Jonathan Oliver, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and small fruits pathologist. “We knew HLB was here in residential …
Florida Tomato Institute Dips into Hydration and Breeding
The 2024 Florida Tomato Institute drew a large crowd of growers and other industry stakeholders to Clewiston, Florida, in early September. The event showcases the latest in tomato research, new product offerings from industry and featured presentations on worker safety and plant improvement. WORKER PROTECTION The federal government has proposed new worker protection rules, and ordinances are being proposed at …
Specialty Crop Grower Magazine: A Conversation About the Farm Bill
By Frank Giles There have been a few issues percolating on the federal policy front over the summer. One of the biggest has been the new farm bill and its prospects of getting passed into law. Last month, AgNet Media hosted the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo in Tampa at the Florida State Fairgrounds. The event was a success, and …



















