Vidalia, GA — The Vidalia® Onion Committee (VOC) is seeking nominations from industry producers to serve on the committee. The VOC elects eight new nominees annually as part of an annual process. Four members and four alternate seats are currently available on the committee. The VOC administers the federal marketing order locally and consists of eight producer members and their …
Meet UGA’s New Peach and Citrus Breeder
By Clint Thompson The University of Georgia (UGA) turned to one of its own to man the newly created peach and citrus breeder position in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES). Dario Chavez joined UGA in 2014 and has conducted peach research on the UGA Griffin Campus for the past 10 years. Chavez will expand his research to …
Pricing Produce Directly to Consumers: Farmers Urged to Know Costs
Instead of taking what the broker or retailer feels like paying, small- and medium-sized farmers who sell directly to consumers should track costs, determine what they want to earn and set their own produce prices, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) experts say. Growers should base their prices on their costs, said Kim Morgan, a UF/IFAS …
How’s It Looking? Clemson Extension Agents Provide Crop Updates
Clemson Extension agents provide updates in The South Carolina Grower this week about the status of various crops being produced throughout the state. Statewide Tom Bilbo (Extension Entomologist) Coastal Region Anna Sara Hill Zack Snipes Midlands Rob Last Sarah Scott Pee Dee Christiana Huss Brittney King Upstate Andy Rollins We are having very large stinkbug populations in the Upstate, primarily …
Dragon Fruit Workshop Spurs Excitement, Collaboration for Robust Industry in Florida
Dragon fruit is a heart-healthy superfood, low in calories and fueled with plenty of fiber and antioxidants – and it’s in high demand among consumers worldwide. An increasing number of consumers are growing this fruiting cactus vine in their home gardens and are finding new ways to include it as a key ingredient to main dishes, in desserts and drinks. …
Impact of Hurricane Debby on North Florida Citrus
By Clint Thompson High wind speeds were prevalent when Hurricane Debby passed through the North Florida region last week. Perry, Florida, received the brunt of those winds. According to Lisa Strange, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension agent in Taylor County, wind speeds were recorded at 80 miles per hour. It led to some citrus trees …
Whitefly Roundup: Hot and Dry Conditions Could Lead to Heavy Buildup
By Clint Thompson The environmental conditions are ripe for whitefly buildup in the Southeast. They’ll continue to be if excessive rainfall remains absent for prolonged periods of time, believes Stormy Sparks, University of Georgia (UGA) Extension vegetable entomologist. “It depends on what happens with the weather, if we go hot and dry. We started building considerably recently. If it goes …
Specialty Crop Grower Magazine: Hop Production Progressing in Florida
By Frank Giles One of the missions of land grant universities is helping farmers to learn better ways to produce their crops. But another is seeking alternative crops, which might help growers to diversify their business operations. Some alternative crops work; others don’t. Research efforts might pay off when a crop catches on. A recent of example of this is …
Hurricane Debby’s Impact on Georgia Pecans
By Clint Thompson Hurricane Debby’s impact on Georgia’s pecan crop was not as severe as Idalia was the prior year. But it still affected trees with its high wind speeds and excessive rainfall, says Lenny Wells, University of Georgia (UGA) Extension pecan specialist. “That southern tier, starting around Lowndes County, Brooks, in there was hit pretty bad. Some of the …
Blueberry Cultivars: UF/IFAS Breeder Discusses New Releases
By Clint Thompson Florida blueberry producers will soon have a couple of new cultivar options to consider for future seasons. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) blueberry breeder Patricio Munoz confirmed that two new cultivars will soon be available. These include “Falcon” or FL17-141 and FL19-006. He highlighted Falcon first. “It’s very high yield and highly …



















