By Clint Thompson Some Alabama vegetable growers are considering their pumpkin plantings for this fall. Andre da Silva, Alabama Extension vegetable specialist, highlighted what cultivars growers need to focus on during a recent webinar. “We did some variety trials, and I would just like to show that those are jack-o-lantern pumpkins that we evaluated last year in central Alabama. What …
What’s Happening? Clemson Extension Agents Provide Crop 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. Statewide Tom Bilbo – Vegetable Entomologist Midlands Phillip Carnley Rob Last Pee Dee Bruce McLean Upstate Andy Rollins Sponsored ContentNew Syngenta Varieties Offer Grower SolutionsFebruary 1, 2026Attribute® II Technology Adds More Flexibility and Strength …
Florida Vegetable Producer: Importing 60% of Produce is Scary
By Clint Thompson Communication remains the key tool in the toolbox that growers and specialty crop industry leaders need to utilize in convincing consumers to support locally grown produce. It is a strategic tactic that is being under-utilized according to Chuck Obern with C&B Farms, located south of Clewiston, Florida. “The real issue all of us have and I don’t …
A New Ilarvirus in Florida Tomatoes
By Ozgur Batuman and Salih Yilmaz Ilarviruses can infect both herbaceous and woody plants and are known to be transmitted by pollen and seed with varying efficiency. Thrips have been associated as vectors of ilarviruses since they create wounds during feeding that can serve as entry points for virus particles carried in or on infected pollen. Tobacco streak virus (TSV) …
Spring Rains Impact N.C. Strawberry Crop
By Clint Thompson Persistent rainfall this spring put a damper on strawberry production in North Carolina (N.C.). It impacted the quality of the fruit and some patrons willing to come out to U-pick farms throughout the state, according to Austin Wrenn, president of the North Carolina Strawberry Association. “The worst was for our pick-your-own growers that were mostly direct to …
UGA Scientist Identifies Needs in Precision Agriculture
By Clint Thompson Precision agriculture innovations are required for sustainability to be a reality for specialty crop producers in the Southeast. That is why the International Conference of Integrative Precision Agriculture was held in Athens, Georgia in May. That is why growers presented their concerns to industry specialists like Ash Sial, University of Georgia (UGA) entomologist. He identified the main …
Georgia Watermelon Producer: Expected Gap for Volume
By Clint Thompson Georgia’s delayed start to the watermelon season means an expected gap could hit the market this week in the Southeast. Greg Leger, owner of Leger & Son, Inc, in Cordele, Georgia, said he will not begin harvesting until next week, which is in line with the scenario most growers are facing. “I’m looking at the (June) 12th …
Lipman Family Farms Celebrates 75 Years
By Clint Thompson A company that has remained sustainable and profitable for 75 years in the current economic climate is a modern-day success story. PRIORITIZING PEOPLEThe secret to Lipman Family Farms’ success is it prioritizes people. This includes its large workforce as well as the desires of consumers who purchase its various specialty crops every day. This prioritization allows Lipman …
Combining UV light, Predatory Mites Could Help Manage Strawberry Pest
Strawberry growers can use ultraviolet light and predatory mites to help control a devastating, but new University of Florida research adds a cautionary note. This integrated approach to managing twospotted spider mites comes as helpful information for growers in Florida’s $400 million-a-year strawberry industry. Sriyanka Lahiri, a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) entomologist, first found …
Grower Calls for H-2A Fix, Labor Reform
By Frank Giles There’s a farm labor crisis facing American agriculture. Adam Lytch was among the growers who took that message to Washington, D.C., on May 31 to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Lytch, regional manager at L&M Farms, called on lawmakers to consider comprehensive immigration reform that recognizes the needs of farmers who grow the domestic food supply. Lytch, …