By Clint Thompson COVID took the Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference’s live event away from farmers and industry leaders in 2021. Though the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA) held the conference online, it was not the same. When the conference reconvened this past weekend, Chris Butts, executive vice president of the GFVGA, reminisced about the situation two …
IMG Citrus Announces Expansion
IMG Citrus, based in Vero Beach, Florida, has acquired J&J Fresh Produce assets. These assets, also located in Vero Beach, include a new 185,000-square-foot cold storage and packaging facility and 1,000 acres of farmland in the Delta Farms Water Control District. “This is an exciting acquisition and a key component of our growth strategy,” said Melanie Ressler, co-chief executive officer …
Producers, Industry Leaders Meet Again for SE Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference
By Clint Thompson COVID took the Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference’s live event away from farmers and industry leaders in 2021. Though the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA) held the conference online, it was not the same. When the conference reconvened this past weekend, Chris Butts, executive vice president of the GFVGA, reminisced about the situation two …
Regulators Eye Scope 3 Emissions
By Frank Giles Working within the constraints of regulations is nothing new in agriculture. Farmers usually find ways to produce crops within these constraints, but they often add costs that cut into profitability and sometimes reduce production. PROPOSED RULEIn the fight against climate change, regulations are likely to be increased in all industries, including agriculture. Last spring, the Securities and …
Florida Blueberries Escape Significant Damage from Christmas Freeze
By Clint Thompson Timing can make the difference in the success of a specialty crop. In the case of Florida blueberries, it likely has helped the crop survive one of the coldest freeze events in recent memory. Doug Phillips, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) blueberry Extension coordinator, explains how the lack of blooms in Florida’s …
State of Alabama Hemp Production
By Clint Thompson Alabama hemp meetings begin next week across the state. Katelyn Kesheimer, Auburn University assistant professor and Extension specialist, talked about the state of the industry. “We’re in the process of the medical marijuana license application period. I think that’s going to change the landscape a little bit. A lot of hemp growers got into it to learn …
Christmas Freeze ‘Not Much of an Impact’ on Florida Blueberries
By Clint Thompson Timing can make the difference in the success of a specialty crop. In the case of Florida blueberries, it likely has helped the crop survive one of the coldest freeze events in recent memory. Doug Phillips, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) blueberry Extension coordinator, explains how the lack of blooms in Florida’s …
Georgia Pecan Production Meetings Scheduled
By Clint Thompson Georgia pecan producers can mark their calendars for the upcoming county production meetings scheduled over the next couple of months. The scheduled meetings include stops in Appling County (Jan. 31), Grady County (Feb. 1), Toombs, Treutlen and Montgomery counties (Feb. 7), Tattnall County (Feb. 13), Colquitt County (Feb. 16), Cook County (March 1), Irwin County (breakfast meeting …
Upon Further Review: Vegetables Hammered by Cold Temperatures
By Clint Thompson A week removed from one of the worst freeze events in recent memory in the Southeast, vegetable growers are resigned to the reality their crops were devastated by consecutive days of sub-freezing temperatures. Tim Coolong, associate professor in the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, talks about the devastation, most notably in green production. …
Alabama Hemp Meetings Beneficial to Long-Term Sustainability of Crop
By Clint Thompson Alabama’s hemp producers and industry leaders should make plans to attend one of the scheduled hemp meetings in January. Katelyn Kesheimer, Auburn University assistant professor and Extension specialist, believes these meetings – which are scheduled throughout the state – are beneficial to the long-term sustainability of the crop. “It allows us to get a lot of growers …