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. Coastal Region Zack Snipes Midlands Sarah Scott Pee Dee Brittney King Upstate Andy Rollins Sponsored ContentNew Syngenta Varieties Offer Grower SolutionsFebruary 1, 2026Attribute® II Technology Adds More Flexibility and Strength to Sweet Corn Pest …
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. …
Earlier the Better: Chilli Thrips Most Vulnerable Early in Strawberry Season
By Clint Thompson Chilli thrips were as challenging as they have ever been in Florida strawberries. According to Sriyanka Lahiri, assistant professor of entomology and nematology at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, the insect pests were especially tough on strawberries planted in early fall. “This season was particularly tough …
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 …
Sweet Grown Alabama Excels in Promoting State’s Fruits and Vegetables
By Clint Thompson Sweet Grown Alabama has accomplished a lot of its marketing goals during its short five-year history of promoting the state’s agricultural industry. There is still plenty of room for growth, however, believes Aisling Walding, assistant director for Sweet Grown Alabama. “We are going on year five, which is so crazy to me. We started back in 2019, …
Minimal Disease Pressure in Georgia’s Peach Crop This Year
By Clint Thompson Georgia’s peach producers rebounded this year with a bumper crop. A big reason for their success was the lack of disease pressure prevalent in peach orchards this year. The prolonged drought during the early summer led to a reduction in diseases that are normally problematic for growers, says Phil Brannen, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension fruit disease …
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 …
Registration Ongoing for Georgia Ag Labor Relations Forum Slated for Aug. 20-21
By Clint Thompson Registration remains open for the Georgia Ag Labor Relations Forum, slated for Aug. 20-21 at the University of Georgia Tifton Campus Conference Center in Tifton, Georgia. Topics ranging from the H-2A program, labor trafficking, housing, heat policies and compliance issues are scheduled for attendees. Chris Butts, executive director of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, which …
UF/IFAS Vegetable Crop Specialist Driving Research, Crop Diversification to Small Farms
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 90% of Florida’s agricultural operations are small farms with gross sales under $250,000. In South Florida, small farmers benefit from an ideal subtropical climate but need more options for high-value fruit and vegetable crops to grow profitably and meet demands. “Farmland acreage has decreased due to increased urbanization in South Florida,” said Xiaoying …
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 …



















