Blueberry Meeting

Summer Blueberry Meetings Tackle Disease Management in Florida

Dan CooperFruits

By Frank Giles The Florida Blueberry Growers Association (FBGA) and the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) hit the road in July to host a series of meetings in key blueberry-growing regions of the state. MANAGE RESISTANCE UF/IFAS researchers covered several production topics during the meetings. Phil Harmon, professor of plant pathology, spoke about disease management …

Rep. Lucas Discusses Optimism About Farm Bill Being Finalized in ’24

Clint ThompsonFarm Bill

By Clint Thompson U.S. Rep. Frank Lucas (R-OK.), the longest-serving Member on the House Committee on Agriculture, prefers the farm bill to be completed in 2024 rather than rolling over into 2025. He said the likelihood of that happening hinges on a little bit of luck with less than half the year remaining. “The lay of the land is changing, …

Game Changer: Chemical Option for Peach Thinning

Clint ThompsonNorth Carolina, Peaches

By Clint Thompson One of the most tedious, but necessary parts of peach production centers on fruit thinning. Producers must remove much of their crop so what’s remaining can increase in size and yields. One North Carolina State University researcher is confident a chemical option will soon be a viable alternative for growers. Mike Parker, associate professor and Extension specialist …

Best North Carolina Peaches in Recent Memory

Clint ThompsonNorth Carolina

By Clint Thompson North Carolina peach farmers are experiencing a bumper crop this year; the best crop in recent memory, according to one producer. “It’s the best crop I’ve seen, and I’m 44-years-old. It’s an outstanding crop for North Carolina,” said Brad Thompson, president of the North Carolina Peach Growers’ Society. The reason for such optimism is simple; there was …

Alabama Producers Optimistic About Pecan Crop

Clint ThompsonAlabama, Pecan

By Clint Thompson Alabama pecan producers are feeling optimistic about the crop for the first time in four years. Not since 2020 have the state’s pecan farmers felt this good about its crop heading into harvest season, according to Bryan Wilkins, Auburn University research associate. “It was a decent June drop, but it just really thinned them out like they …

Specialty Crop Grower Magazine: State Funding Tackles Wildlife Troubles in Agriculture

Clint ThompsonSpecialty Crop Grower Magazine

By Clint Thompson Agricultural pests are sometimes not just bugs and diseases but include animals looking for a food source. Unfortunately, for Georgia’s specialty crop producers, that food source is often their crops. Georgia’s legislative leaders are arming state agencies with substantial funding in next year’s budget to tackle this problem. Included in the budget was $150,000 directed to the …

USDA Expands Fresh Market Beans Insurance Program to Florida

Clint ThompsonUSDA

VALDOSTA, GA – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is expanding the fresh market beans insurance program to two southern Florida counties: Hendry and Palm Beach. USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) currently offers coverage in New York, North Carolina and Virginia. “Fresh market bean growers in Florida and stakeholders have asked for crop insurance,” said Davina Lee, director of RMA’s …

Chitwood-Brown Discusses Machine Harvesting of Tomatoes

Web AdminUncategorized

Earlier this year, Jessica Chitwood-Brown took over the lead tomato breeding post at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Gulf Coast Research and Education Center in Wimauma, Florida. The center has a long history of tomato breeding success. One of her objectives is to continue the effort to breed stakeless tomatoes, which could facilitate mechanical …