Peach Chill Hours Near 600 in Georgia

Clint ThompsonGeorgia

By Clint Thompson Georgia peach producers continue to reap the benefits of colder weather to start 2025. Chill hours are necessary for peaches to flourish. Trees enjoyed temperatures at or below the designated mark of 45 degrees Fahrenheit during last week, according to Jeff Cook, University of Georgia (UGA) Cooperative Extension agriculture and natural resources (ANR) agent for Peach and …

Registration Open for Upcoming Florida Citrus Show Event

Clint ThompsonFlorida

The Florida Citrus Show is scheduled for Thursday, March 13, 2025. The event will be held at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Indian River Research and Education Center and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory in Fort Pierce. The Florida Citrus Show combines educational seminars for both …

Georgia Blueberry Producers Be Wary of Fungicide Resistance with Fruit Rots

Clint ThompsonGeorgia

By Clint Thompson Fruit rots are an annual concern for Georgia blueberry producers. But fungicide resistance is gaining traction as a worry for farmers moving forward. Blueberry farmers have the fungicides needed to manage fruit rots every year. But they need to be mindful of not putting all their effort into one specific mode of action, explains Jonathan Oliver, University …

Specialty Crops Showcased, Celebrated at Southeast Regional Conference

Clint ThompsonGeorgia

By Clint Thompson Last week’s Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference served as a celebration of what’s right with specialty crop production in the region, explains Chris Butts, executive director of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA). “It’s been such an eventful year, everything from the hurricane to our continued struggles with imports, this is really a chance …

Fusarium Wilt a Lingering Concern for North Florida Watermelon Producers

Clint ThompsonFlorida

By Clint Thompson North Florida watermelon producers are on the brink of planting this year’s crop. One lingering problem that still concerns growers is fusarium wilt, says Mark Warren, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension agent in Levy County. “I think one of the things that scares our guys the most is this topic of …

AFVGA Conference and Trade Show Registration Ends Jan. 19

Clint ThompsonAlabama

Regular registration remains open for those interested in attending this year’s Alabama Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (AFVGA) Annual Conference and Trade Show. This year’s event will be held on Feb. 5-7 at The Lodge at Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Early bird registration ended on Jan. 1, but regular registration is currently underway and will continue until …

Specialty Crop Grower Magazine: Spotted Lanternfly Confirmation

Clint ThompsonSpecialty Crop Grower Magazine

In November, the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) announced confirmation from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) of the first detection in the state of spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula). The pest is an invasive planthopper that poses a serious risk to Georgia agriculture. Where is it? The spotted lanternfly was found in Fulton County, Georgia, in October and sent to …

Specialty Crops Secure $650 Million in Additional Funding for USDA MASC Initiative

Clint ThompsonSpecialty Crops

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance (SCFBA) issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s updates to the Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC) initiative, which included an additional $650 million investment. “Specialty crop growers across the U.S. are facing severe and unique challenges. As we wrote in December, the USDA’s MASC program …

Southeast Regional Conference Scheduled for Jan. 9-11

Clint ThompsonGeorgia

By Clint Thompson The annual Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference is just days away in Savannah, Georgia. While regular registration ends Tuesday, Jan. 7, on-site registration will still be available from Jan. 9-11. The yearly conference caters to fruit and vegetable production in Florida, Georgia, Alabama and the Carolinas. The production seminars, scheduled for Thursday, Friday and Saturday, will …

Troxler Announces More Than $6.6 Million in Grants to N.C. Food Manufacturers, Processors

Clint ThompsonNorth Carolina

RALEIGH – Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler announced the second round of awards from the North Carolina Agricultural Manufacturing and Processing Initiative (NCAMPI). These $6.6 million in awards focus on the expansion of current operations to use more North Carolina farm products and reduce costs and burdens for North Carolina farmers and growers. These six projects benefit peanut, rice, barley, and …