The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES) will host five meetings in January for licensed hemp producers in advance of the 2022 season. Growers can choose one meeting to attend based on scheduling and availability. These meetings will replace the one normal mandatory meeting held in previous years. These meetings will cover regulations from the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries …
UF/IFAS GCREC Welcomes Tomlin Middle School STEM Students
Faculty, staff and students at University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC) welcomed 65 seventh graders Tuesday from Tomlin Middle School in Plant City on Tuesday. The annual tour provides the students exposure to labs, greenhouses, fields and up-close demonstrations of techniques and research at the center. The morning began with …
Adult Whitefly Populations Increasing Across South Florida Vegetables
According to the South Florida Pest and Disease Hotline, whitefly numbers remain low in most crops for this time of the season. But according to growers and scouts, adult populations have increased in multiple places, and nymphs are being observed in older tomato, eggplant and watermelon. The spikes seen in some melon fields have led to cucurbit viruses. Populations will …
Asian Bean Thrips Populations Continue to Vary Across South Florida
According to the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), Asian bean thrips (ABT) populations continue to vary throughout south Florida. The highest populations were detected in south Hendry County, though populations were very low in the Palm Beach County region. In south Hendry County, infestations were numbered at 0.2 adult per bloom. Larvae have been observed at …
Updated Recommendations for Peach Orchard Establishment
By Dario J. Chavez The southeastern United States possesses a unique environment in terms of variable soil and humid climate. Although humid, there has been incidences of several droughts throughout the years. A lack of proper irrigation scheduling under these circumstances can result in huge losses in production and in the state’s economy. Since 2000, the Southeast has had five …
NCDA&CS Announces Specialty Crop Block Grant Recipients
RALEIGH – The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services announced that 16 specialty crop projects have received more than $2.9 million in USDA grants in 2021. Projects included new research on reusing old greenhouse structures for strawberry production, how to limit insecticide usage that can harm pollinators, addressing health and safety concerns for farm workers, and consumer awareness campaigns …
AFVGA Executive Director: Address Input Needs as Early as Possible
By Clint Thompson Blake Thaxton, executive director of the Alabama Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (AFVGA), implores his farmers to be proactive instead of being reactive with adjusting to the current surge in input costs. “Our overall message is to make sure you’re addressing your input needs as early as possible to get ahead of any kind of delays that …
Latest Florida Citrus Survey Reveals a Year in Flux
Results show HLB and pandemic-related issues bring challenges, but growers persist.
Vidalia Onion Farmers Ahead of Planting Schedule
By Clint Thompson Georgia’s Vidalia onion farmers are ahead of schedule in planting next year’s crop. The dry weather in the southeastern part of the state is a reason why, says Chris Tyson, University of Georgia Extension Area Onion Agent at the Vidalia Onion & Vegetable Research Center in Lyons, Georgia. “In a typical year, we’ll usually start around the …
DOL Extends Comment Period for Rulemaking to Protect Workers from Heat
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration is extending the period for submitting comments on the Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings. Comments on the ANPRM must now be submitted by Jan. 26, 2022. The 30-day extension provides stakeholders more time to review the …