By Clint Thompson A familiar disease has already made its presence known in South Florida strawberries this season. Growers in Alabama and Georgia should be aware about neopesatlotiopsis being an issue. A familiar disease has made its presence known in South Florida strawberry fields this season. A rainy start to the growing season contributed to neopestalotiopsis being a problem already. …
Buyers, Shellers Increase Interests in Purchasing Pecans
Pecan harvests continue to wind down across Georgia. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service, commercial buyers and shellers have increased their interest in purchasing pecans to fill orders. However, some farmers are keeping their crop stored until after the new year. They are waiting for prices to adjust amid a harvest season where total pounds available …
Mexico Minimum Wage to Increase in 2023
One of the main points of contention regarding unfair trade with Mexico for Southeast specialty crop producers is the microscopic minimum wage Mexican employers pay their employees. That compensation will increase, according to Mexican president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO). He has announced a plan to raise the minimum wage by 20% in 2023, according to Mexico News Daily. The …
Farming Safety Emphasized at Watermelon Meeting
By Clint Thompson Farming is an inherently dangerous occupation. But growers don’t usually think about the dangers that come with driving a tractor and working with various pieces of equipment. Not when it is a practice they have done day in and day out for decades. It is a concept not lost on Serap Gorucu, assistant professor in the University …
FFVA Submits Letter to EPA Regarding Methomyl
The Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association (FFVA) submitted comments to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last week in response to the agency’s proposed interim registration review decision for the insecticide methomyl. Vegetable and blueberry producers rely on the low-coast, broad-spectrum, long-lasting insect management benefits that the insecticide provides. The FFVA emphasized in the letter that any move to limit …
Florida Lawmakers Call for Hurricane Relief Funds
The Florida citrus industry has an urgent need for disaster aid in the wake of Hurricanes Ian and Nicole, 17 members of Florida’s congressional delegation advised the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations. In a Dec. 8 letter, the U.S. representatives stated that Hurricane Ian impacts caused an estimated $675.5 million in preliminary damages to the industry. They reported that damage came from …
Whitmore Farm Field Day Features New Citrus Varieties and Rootstocks
The A.H. Whitmore Foundation Farm near Groveland, Florida, recently hosted a field day. The event was presented by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), New Varieties Development and Management Corporation (NVDMC) and the Florida Citrus Research Foundation. The farm opened in 1959. The 400-acre property includes 110 acres of groves on prime citrus land. Some of the state’s most popular varieties and …
Georgia Ag Forecast Meeting Set for Jan. 27, 2023
By Clint Thompson Georgia specialty crop producers and industry leaders should mark their calendars for the annual Georgia Ag Forecast meeting, scheduled for Friday, Jan. 27, 2023, at the University of Georgia Tifton Campus Conference Center in Tifton, Georgia. Amanda Smith, senior public service associate in the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES), discussed what attendees can expect …
Warming Trend: Peach Trees Lacking Necessary Chill Hours
By Clint Thompson Unseasonably warm temperatures have Alabama peach producers concerned about the lack of chill hours needed to produce a crop next season. Edgar Vinson, assistant research professor and Extension specialist in the department of horticulture at Auburn University, discussed the lack of cooler weather this winter and what growers need heading into the new year. “It depends on …
Diesel Supply and High Prices Challenge Agriculture
By Frank Giles Diesel has been called the lifeblood of the U.S. economy. It fuels the farms that feed America and the trucks that deliver food across the nation. Diesel powers trains, ships and so much more, so it is little surprise recent spikes in prices and inventory concerns have the agriculture industry worried, along with many other sectors of …