By Pam Knox The 2021 Atlantic hurricane season is on the horizon, and now is the time to get ready for whatever storms may come your way. Even if you get missed this year, long-term preparation will help you get ready for any disaster that might occur on your farm, even if it is not weather-related. There are four steps …
How Citrus Growers are Watching and Trialing New Orange Varieties
Take a look at what the numbers tell us for each of Florida’s key maturity windows.
Alabama Hemp: More Growers, Less Acres
By Clint Thompson Hemp should soon be going into the ground in Alabama. According to Katelyn Kesheimer, Auburn University Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, there should be more growers but less acres in 2021. “I think people are realizing they should go down to 1 or 2 acres to start, and don’t start big and make sure you have everything …
How Citrus Growers Can Stay on Top of Fruit Drop
HLB exacerbates this problem that has plagued yields in recent years.
Growing Matters: Communication Key for Growers and Beekeepers
“Many of the issues we see with pesticide misapplications really come down to communication. Essentially an applicator not necessarily knowing what a beekeeper is doing and visa-versa,” Bayer Industry Affairs Lead Frank Wong said in the latest episode of the BeSure! campaign from the Growing Matters Coalition. The episode details the importance of growers and beekeepers being on the same …
Yes Please! Georgia Blueberry Growers Approve Continued Assessment
Georgia blueberry growers overwhelmingly voted to extend the assessment of $5 per ton of marketed blueberries for an additional three years. The extension was passed with nearly 82% of the eligible ballots returned with a ‘yes’ vote. The balloting period for the market order was conducted from March 1-30, 2021.  The Georgia Agriculture Commodity Commission for Blueberries utilizes funds for …
Sweet Finish: Florida Strawberry Growers Ending Season with Strong Crop
What began as a sour start to Florida’s strawberry season is ending with a sweet finish, says Matt Parke, farm manager of Parkesdale Farms in Plant City, Florida. Parke said he wasn’t getting the desired volume before Valentine’s Day. Then it started and hasn’t stopped since. “I think it’s going to end up being a bumper deal for us. We …
Alabama Extension to Host Weed Management Webinar for Fruit Growers
Alabama Extension will hold a virtual webinar on weed management in strawberry, peach and blueberry production systems on Tuesday, May 4 at 11 a.m. (EST). Alabama Extension specialist Steve Li will discuss weed management on blueberry, peach and strawberry farms. This meeting will be held via zoom. It is free but those interested must pre-register. Click here to pre-register: https://www.aces.edu/go/regionalfruitmeetings. …
GFVGA Advises Growers to Schedule Vaccines for Farmworkers
The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA) encourages its members to begin communications with local health providers so their farmworkers can get vaccinated. This followed the announcement from Governor Brian Kemp that beginning Thursday, March 25, all Georgians aged 16 and older were eligible for the vaccines. GFVGA continues to communicate with the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) …
North Carolina Strawberry Growers Be Wary of Weekend Weather
N.C. State Extension recommends strawberry producers to secure their row covers to protect against high wind speeds and to implement cooling measures against warmer temperatures now and into the weekend. Increasing temperatures are expected to be 10 to 20 degrees above normal, especially in the mid-Atlantic area. This will undoubtedly speed up the development of buds and blooms this weekend. …